Bill Text: TX HB4403 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to requirements for and prohibitions on certain telemarketing calls.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-21 - Referred to Business & Industry [HB4403 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB4403-Introduced.html
  88R11584 JES-D
 
  By: Davis H.B. No. 4403
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to requirements for and prohibitions on certain
  telemarketing calls.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 301.051(b), Business & Commerce Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  A telephone solicitor may not make a consumer telephone
  call to a consumer unless:
               (1)  the telephone solicitor, immediately after making
  contact with the consumer to whom the call is made, identifies
  within the first 30 seconds of the call and in the solicitor's
  unaltered voice:
                     (A)  himself or herself by name;
                     (B)  the business on whose behalf the telephone
  solicitor is calling; and
                     (C)  the purpose of the call;
               (2)  the telephone solicitor makes the call after 12
  noon and before 9 p.m. on a Sunday or after 10 [9] a.m. and before 6
  [9] p.m. on a weekday or a Saturday; and
               (3)  for those calls in which an automated dial
  announcing device is used, the device disconnects the consumer's
  telephone line within the period specified by Section 55.126,
  Utilities Code, after either the telephone solicitor or the
  consumer terminates the call.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 301, Business & Commerce
  Code, is amended by adding Sections 301.0511 and 301.0512 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 301.0511.  REPEAT CALLS PROHIBITED. (a) A telephone
  solicitor may not call the same consumer regarding the same subject
  matter or issue more than two times, regardless of whether the
  telephone solicitor places the call using a different telephone
  number.
         (b)  A telephone solicitor may not call the same consumer
  more than once if that consumer requests that the telephone
  solicitor not call, regardless of whether the telephone solicitor
  places the call using a different telephone number.
         Sec. 301.0512.  CONSENT REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN CALLS. A
  telephone solicitor may not place a call to a consumer using an
  automated dial announcing device without the consumer's express
  written consent. A written consent provided under this section
  must:
               (1)  be signed by the consumer;
               (2)  clearly authorize the telephone solicitor's use of
  the automated dial announcing device to place calls to the
  consumer;
               (3)  include the telephone number to which the consent
  applies; and
               (4)  inform the consumer that the consumer is not
  required to consent to the use of the automated dial announcing
  device.
         SECTION 3.  Section 301.103, Business & Commerce Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  For purposes of Subsection (a), each call placed to a
  consumer in violation of Section 301.0511 constitutes a separate
  violation.
         SECTION 4.  Section 302.302(a), Business & Commerce Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A person who violates this chapter is subject to a civil
  penalty of not more than $10,000 [$5,000] for each violation.
         SECTION 5.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  a cause of action that accrues on or after the effective date of
  this Act. A cause of action that accrues before the effective date
  of this Act is governed by the law applicable to the cause of action
  immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is
  continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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