A bill to amend section 223 of the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit harassing telephone calls made to collect alleged debts, and to inform the public of their right to be free from harassing, coercive, abusive, and obscene telephone calls.

Summary

Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit any person from making, or instructing any other person to make, any telephone call solely to threaten or harass any person at the called number in order to collect any money alleged to be due and owing. Specifies the types of acts prohibited by this Act. Provides that a person who makes a telephone call in violation of this Act shall be liable in a civil action to the person called for a penalty in an amount of $500 for each such telephone call, in addition to attorney's fees. Directs all telephone companies to notify each telephone subscriber of his right to privacy and to be free from telephone calls from persons calling to harass, abuse, threaten, or coerce. Prohibits any person from contacting any person's employer by telephone to inform the employer of any alleged debt of an employee unless the debt has been held in a valid court judgment to be due and owing.

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Timeline

1. 4 January 1977

   Introduced

   Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 4 January 1977

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 4 January 1977

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 4 January 1977

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Rep. Murphy, John M. [D-NY-17] · D · Sponsor
• · hsif00 · Standing

Related records

• related to → A bill to amend section 223 of the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit harassing telephone calls made to collect alleged debts, and to inform the public of their right to be free from harassing, coercive, abusive, and obscene telephone calls.