H.R. 3402 · 110th Congress
Calling Card Consumer Protection Act
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Passed the House without a recorded vote, then expired. It passed by voice vote or unanimous consent, which don't record how each member voted, but didn't become law before the 110th Congress ended.
D
EngelSponsor14 cosponsors · 12 D, 2 R
R
Ferguson
ET
D
Towns
MH
D
Hinchey
JM
D
Moran
DB
R
Burton
SC
D
Cohen
BH
D
Higgins
JS
D
Sestak
JM
D
McDermott
AS
D
Sires
HS
D
Solis
NT
D
Tsongas
LR
D
Roybal-Allard
CG
D
Gonzalez2 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
- House Introduced Aug 3, 2007
- House Passed Sep 25, 2008
Calling Card Consumer Protection Act - (Sec. 3) Requires providers or distributors of prepaid calling cards, including cards that use interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or a successor protocol, to clearly and conspicuously disclose information about: (1) the provider's name, customer service number, and hours of service; (2) the card's…
What it does: CRS summary · Passed House amended · Sep 25, 2008
Calling Card Consumer Protection Act - (Sec. 3) Requires providers or distributors of prepaid calling cards, including cards that use interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or a successor protocol, to clearly and conspicuously disclose information about: (1) the provider's name, customer service number, and hours of service; (2) the card's number of minutes or dollar value; (3) per minute rates or a toll-free number to obtain rates; (4) fees and charges; (5) time period limits, any predetermined decrease in value over a period of time, and expiration dates; and (6) refund and recharge policies.
(Sec. 4) Treats a violation as an unfair or deceptive act or practice under the Federal Trade Commission Act and requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce this Act. Gives the FTC, for this Act, jurisdiction over common carriers subject to the Communications Act of 1934, notwithstanding any other provision of law.
(Sec. 5) Allows civil enforcement actions to be brought, except when an FTC action is pending, by a state attorney general, a state utilities commission, or a consumer protection agency for an injunction, to enforce this Act, to obtain damages, restitution, or other compensation on behalf of state residents, or for other relief. Allows actions under state laws.
Shields a distributor who is a retail seller of prepaid cards and who, with respect to such cards, is exclusively engaged in point-of-sale transactions from liability for damages unless the distributor acted with actual knowledge that the act or practice giving rise to the action is unfair or deceptive and is unlawful under this Act.
(Sec. 7) Prohibits a state, after final regulations are promulgated under this Act, from establishing or continuing in effect any provision of law that prescribes prepaid card disclosure requirements unless those requirements are identical to those in this Act.
(Sec. 8) Requires the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the effectiveness of this Act and its required disclosures.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Calling Card Consumer Protection Act
Latest action (Oct 2, 2008): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications · Origin: House · Introduced: Aug 3, 2007
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
- House Introduced Aug 3, 2007
- House Passed Sep 25, 2008
No recorded floor vote found.