Senator Daniel Hemmert proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
TELEPHONE AND FACSIMILE SOLICITATION ACT

2     
AMENDMENTS

3     
2020 GENERAL SESSION

4     
STATE OF UTAH

5     
Chief Sponsor: Michael K. McKell

6     
Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

7     

8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This bill amends the Telephone and Facsimile Solicitation Act.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     permits a court in a private action under the Telephone and Facsimile Solicitation
14     Act to award a person treble the amount of the person's pecuniary loss under certain
15     circumstances;
16          ▸     repeals provisions related to a state no-call database;
17          ▸     amends prohibitions against certain unsolicited telephone calls; and
18          ▸     makes technical and conforming changes.
19     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
20          None
21     Other Special Clauses:
22          None
23     Utah Code Sections Affected:
24     AMENDS:
25          13-25a-107, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2003, Chapter 263
26          13-25a-108, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2004, Chapter 263
27     REPEALS:
28          13-25a-109, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 382
29     

30     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
31          Section 1. Section 13-25a-107 is amended to read:
32          13-25a-107. Private action.
33          (1) In addition to any other remedies, a person may bring an action in any state court of
34     competent jurisdiction if:
35          (a) (i) the person has received two or more telephone solicitations or facsimile
36     advertisements from the same individual or entity that:
37          (A) violates this chapter; or
38          (B) violates Title 47 U.S.C. 227; and
39          (ii) the person, following the first telephone solicitation or facsimile advertisement,
40     notified the sender of the person's objection to receiving the telephone solicitation or facsimile
41     advertisement; or
42          (b) the person has received one telephone solicitation or facsimile advertisement in
43     violation of:
44          (i) Subsection 13-25a-103(1);
45          (ii) Subsection 13-25a-103(3);
46          (iii) Subsection 13-25a-103(5);
47          (iv) Subsection 13-25a-103(6); or
48          (v) Subsection 13-25a-104(1).
49          (2) In a suit brought under Subsection (1)[,]:
50          (a) a person may:
51          [(a)] (i) recover the greater of $500 or the amount of the pecuniary loss, if any;
52          [(b)] (ii) recover court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees as determined by the court;
53     and
54          [(c)] (iii) seek to enjoin any conduct in violation of this chapter[.]; and
55          (b) the court may award a person treble the amount of the person's pecuniary loss, if the
56     court finds that a violation was knowing and willful.
57          Section 2. Section 13-25a-108 is amended to read:
58          13-25a-108. Objections to telephone solicitations.
59          (1) A person may not make or cause to be made an unsolicited telephone call [within
60     Utah to a telephone number contained in the no-call database established under Section
61     13-25a-109.] to a person:
62          (a) located in the state; and
63          (b) (i) at a Utah telephone number contained in the national "do-not-call" registry
64     established and maintained by the Federal Trade Commission under 16 C.F.R.
65     310.4(b)(1)(iii)(B); or
66          (ii) at a non-Utah telephone number contained in the national "do-not-call" registry
67     established and maintained by the Federal Trade Commission under 16 C.F.R.
68     310.4(b)(1)(iii)(B), if the person making the call or causing the call to be made knows or
69     reasonably should know that the person receiving the call is in Utah.
70          (2) Each unsolicited telephone call made in violation of this section is a separate
71     violation.
72          Section 3. Repealer.
73          This bill repeals:
74          Section 13-25a-109, No-call database.