S 2624
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2624
To regulate political robocalls.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 12, 2008
Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. SPECTER, Mr. INOUYE, and Mr. DURBIN)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to
the Committee on Rules and Administration
A BILL
To regulate political robocalls.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Robocall Privacy Act of 2008'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Abusive political robocalls harass voters and discourage them
from participating in the political process.
(2) Abusive political robocalls infringe on the privacy rights of
individuals by disturbing them in their homes.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act--
(1) POLITICAL ROBOCALL- The term `political robocall' means any outbound
telephone call--
(A) in which a person is not available to speak with the person
answering the call, and the call instead plays a recorded message;
and
(B) which promotes, supports, attacks, or opposes a candidate for
Federal office.
(2) IDENTITY- The term `identity' means, with respect to any individual
making a political robocall or causing a political robocall to be
made, the name of the sponsor or originator of the call.
(3) SPECIFIED PERIOD- The term `specified period' means, with respect
to any candidate for Federal office who is promoted, supported, attacked,
or opposed in a political robocall--
(A) the 60-day period ending on the date of any general, special,
or run-off election for the office sought by such candidate; and
(B) the 30-day period ending on the date of any primary or preference
election, or any convention or caucus of a political party that
has authority to nominate a candidate, for the office sought by
such candidate.
(4) OTHER DEFINITIONS- The terms `candidate' and `Federal office'
have the respective meanings given such terms under section 301 of
the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431).
SEC. 4. REGULATION OF POLITICAL ROBOCALLS.
It shall be unlawful for any person during the specified period to make
a political robocall or to cause a political robocall to be made--
(1) to any person during the period beginning at 9 p.m. and ending
at 8 a.m. in the place which the call is directed;
(2) to the same telephone number more than twice on the same day;
(3) without disclosing, at the beginning of the call--
(A) that the call is a recorded message; and
(B) the identity of the person making the call or causing the call
to be made; or
(4) without transmitting the telephone number and the name of the
person making the political robocall or causing the political robocall
to be made to the caller identification service of the recipient.
SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT.
(a) Enforcement by Federal Election Commission-
(1) IN GENERAL- Any person aggrieved by a violation of section 4 may
file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission under rules
similar to the rules under section 309(a) of the Federal Election
Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437g(a)).
(A) IN GENERAL- If the Federal Election Commission or any court
determines that there has been a violation of section 4, there shall
be imposed a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 per violation.
(B) WILLFUL VIOLATIONS- In the case the Federal Election Commission
or any court determines that there has been a knowing or willful
violation of section 4, the amount of any civil penalty under subparagraph
(A) for such violation may be increased to not more than 300 percent
of the amount under subparagraph (A).
(b) Private Right of Action- Any person may bring in an appropriate
district court of the United States an action based on a violation of
section 4 to enjoin such violation without regard to whether such person
has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission.
END
