Stopping Bad Robocalls Act

Stopping Bad Robocalls Act

This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to expand prohibitions against autodialed calls to include the making of robocalls. A "robocall" is a call or text message made: (1) using equipment that makes a series of calls to stored telephone numbers, including numbers stored on a list, or to telephone numbers produced using a random or sequential number generator; or (2) using an artificial or prerecorded voice. The definition does not include calls made on equipment that requires substantial additional human intervention to dial or place a call after a human initiates the series of calls.

The bill also:

• allows consumers to revoke prior express consent for receiving calls at any time and in any reasonable manner,
• requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to apply certain consumer protections to exempted classes of robocalls, and
• extends the statute of limitations to four years for violations of prohibitions on robocalls.

The FCC must: (1) establish a nationwide database of consumer telephone numbers that have been reassigned to other consumers and safe harbor provisions to protect voice service providers against errors in the database, (2) make annual reports to Congress on its progress in stopping robocalls, and (3) prescribe regulations requiring voice service providers to implement caller identification information authentication standards.