HB 1244

Abstract

Virginia Telephone Privacy Protection Act. Provides that for the purposes of the Virginia Telephone Privacy Act (the Act), "telephone solicitation call" includes any text message sent to any wireless telephone with a Virginia area code, or to a wireless telephone registered to any natural person who is a resident of the Commonwealth, for the purpose of offering or advertising any property, goods, or services for sale, lease, license, or investment, including offering or advertising an extension of credit or for the purpose of fraudulent activity. The bill prohibits a telephone solicitor from engaging in any conduct that results in the display of false or misleading caller identification information on the called party's telephone. The bill increases the amount of damages and the amount of the civil penalty for violations of the Act from $500 for each such violation to $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second violation, and $5,000 for each subsequent violation and increases to $5,000 the maximum civil penalty the court may impose for a willful first or second violation. This bill is identical to SB 812.

Virginia Telephone Privacy Protection Act.Provides that for the purposes of the Virginia Telephone PrivacyAct (the Act), "telephone solicitation call" includes any text messagesent to any wireless telephone with a Virginia area code, or to a wireless telephone registered to any natural person who is a residentof the Commonwealth, for the purpose of offering or advertising anyproperty, goods, or services for sale, lease, license, or investment,including offering or advertising an extension of credit or for thepurpose of fraudulent activity. The bill prohibits a telephone solicitorfrom engaging in any conduct that results in the display of falseor misleading caller identification information on the called party'stelephone. The bill increases the amount of damages and the amountof the civil penalty for violations of the Act from $500 for eachsuch violation to $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a secondviolation, and $5,000 for each subsequent violation and increasesto $5,000 the maximum civil penalty the court may impose for a willfulfirst or second violation.