S. 2998 · 110th Congress
Prepaid Calling Card Consumer Protection Act of 2008
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 110th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
D
NelsonSponsor6 cosponsors · 2 D, 4 R
3 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
Prepaid Calling Card Consumer Protection Act of 2008 - Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to require every prepaid telephone calling service provider and prepaid telephone calling card distributor to disclose certain information, including: (1) the number of calling units or minutes of domestic interstate calls provided or the dollar value and the…
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · May 8, 2008
Prepaid Calling Card Consumer Protection Act of 2008 - Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to require every prepaid telephone calling service provider and prepaid telephone calling card distributor to disclose certain information, including: (1) the number of calling units or minutes of domestic interstate calls provided or the dollar value and the domestic interstate rate per minute; (2) the calling unit or per minute rates for all served international preferred destinations; (3) the applicable per minute rates for all served international destinations; (4) all terms and conditions, including regarding fees, policies on refunds, recharges, decrements, and expiration, and time imitations; and (5) a toll-free customer service number and hours.
Makes it unlawful to: (1) deduct anything but the per minute rate and disclosed fees; (2) provide fewer minutes or charge a higher per minute rate than promoted or advertised; (3) provide fewer minutes than the number of minutes announced, promoted, or advertised through any voice prompt; (4) have (unless clearly disclosed) an expiration date less than one year after first use (or after additional minutes are purchased); and (5) charge a fee for an unconnected call. Prohibits evading liability by using disclaimers or limitations.
Treats violations as a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice under specified provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act.
Allows state civil enforcement and state laws offering equal or greater protection to consumers.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Prepaid Calling Card Consumer Protection Act of 2008
Latest action (Sep 10, 2008): Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 110-1218.
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications · Origin: Senate · Introduced: May 8, 2008
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.