HB13 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ron Johnson

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Public Service Commission, telephone and cellular telephone customers, Do Not Call List, inclusion of commercial and cellular telephone subscribers, penalties and civil fines increased, Secs. 8-19C-2, 8-19C-3, 8-19C-5, 8-19C-6, 8-19C-7 am'd.

Summary

HB 13 would expand Alabama's Do Not Call Law to include commercial and cellular subscribers and raise penalties and damages for violations.

What This Bill Does

It extends the Do Not Call restrictions to residential, commercial, and cellular subscribers and requires the Public Service Commission (PSC) to maintain a database of numbers that object to solicitations. It authorizes charging fees for inclusion in the list and for access to the database, with fees put into a state fund for administration. It increases civil penalties to up to $5,000 per violation and allows private lawsuits for injunctions or damages (up to $5,000 per violation or actual damages, whichever is greater). It requires solicitors to identify themselves and prohibits bypassing caller ID. Enforcement can involve PSC actions like cease-and-desist orders, and coordination with any national database if created.

Who It Affects

• Telephone subscribers in Alabama (residential, commercial, and cellular) who opt out of solicitations; their numbers would be added to the Do Not Call database and they would be protected from unwanted calls.
• Telephone solicitors and telemarketing companies; they would be restricted from calling numbers on the list, must identify themselves, cannot bypass caller ID, and face higher penalties and potential damages for violations.

Key Provisions

• Extends the Do Not Call protections to commercial and cellular subscribers and requires a database for residential, commercial, and cellular numbers who object to solicitations.
• Allows the PSC to charge fees every two years for inclusion in the database and fees for access to the database; funds go to a separate state treasury fund for administration.
• Requires solicitors to identify themselves and prohibits circumventing caller identification or using false numbers.
• Increases civil penalties to $5,000 per violation and authorizes the PSC to pursue enforcement actions, including cease-and-desist orders and court proceedings.
• Allows private individuals to sue for injunctions or damages (up to $5,000 per known violation or actual damages, whichever is greater) and to pursue both actions if appropriate.
• If a national Do Not Call database is established by federal law, Alabama's system will incorporate the Alabama portion.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Public Service Commission