On Thursday May 23rd, 2019, the Senate approved the TRACED Act which will dramatically increase fines for illegal robocalls. The bill passed with an overwhelming 97-1 vote. Only a single vote from Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) was against the legislation. The TRACED Act’s next stop is the House of Representatives. If approved, expect an increase… Continue reading Senate Overwhelmingly Approves TRACED Act
Tag: Federal Legislation
What is the TRACED Act?
The TRACED Act (Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act) was sponsored by Senators John Thune (R-SD), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Roger Wicker (R-MS). Its purpose is to combat robocalls with stronger deterrents. As the volume of illegal calls has increased, so has the attention of regulators. They are especially concerned about calls from scammers… Continue reading What is the TRACED Act?
ROBOCOP Act Creates Roadblock For Debt Collectors
On April 18th six U.S. Senators introduced the ROBOCOP Act which requires phone companies to offer their customers free robocall blocking technology. The bill is intended to protect consumers from overseas scammers. Unfortunately, it could also become a major headache for debt collectors.
CFPB Arbitration Rule Voted Down By Senate
The Senate, in Tuesday’s much anticipated decision, voted to overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s controversial rule that would have placed limits on mandatory arbitration.
House Takes Small Step Toward Statutory TCPA Reform
On September 22, members of the U.S. House of Representatives (Communications & Technology Subcommittee of the Energy & Commerce Committee) convened a meeting to discuss desperately needed, common sense TCPA reform. The tide of TCPA lawsuits and class actions appeared to be the primary concern. Committee members agreed that common-sense solutions were needed both to… Continue reading House Takes Small Step Toward Statutory TCPA Reform
Proposed Bill to Criminalize Robocalls without Prior Consent
One New York senator apparently wants to take telemarketing enforcement to the next level. In a bill sponsored by New York Senator Chuck Schumer, the senator proposes the so called “QUIET Act” that would make it a criminal offense to call someone using an ATDS (based off of the same murky definition used in the TCPA)… Continue reading Proposed Bill to Criminalize Robocalls without Prior Consent