House Advances Bill Penalizing Phone Spammers

Titled the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, House Bill 5251 outlines which telephone solicitations are acceptable and which are not. 

Examples of illegal phone spam include random automated generation of phone numbers, the playing of a recorded or artificial voice message, and any intent to defraud, confuse or financially or otherwise injure the called party.

Acceptable phone solicitations include communication from a political campaign, a business-to-business sale and a single telephone solicitation made to a customer in response to an inquiry or request from the customer.

The bill’s sponsor, Del. David Kelly, R-Tyler, said the AARP supports the bill focused on protecting West Virginia seniors.

“We recognize that these things are happening on a daily basis,” Kelly said. “We all recognize it because everyone has gotten this kind of phone call.This can go a long way to stopping that kind of harassment.”

The bill allows for civil actions against the alleged illegal phone spammer. House Bill 5251 unanimously passed third reading in the House and now goes to the Senate.