From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
MONTGOMERY — On Monday, July 6 the Supreme Court upheld a federal ban on robocalls to cell phones that had been in effect since 1991. Attorney General Steve Marshall has since applauded the decision.
“Over 3.7 million complaints were filed nationally last year against illegal robocallers,” said Marshall. “Overturning the federal robocall ban would have opened the floodgates to even more harassing calls on Americans. I welcome the Supreme Court’s decision today to keep the federal ban on robocalls and allow states to continue to take legal action against illegal robocallers in order to safeguard the privacy of our citizens.”
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which has been in play since 1991, was challenged by robocallers in the Supreme Court case Barr v. American Association of Political Consultants, Inc.
The TCPA was designed to limit the use of automatic dialing systems and pre-recorded voice messages in order to protect citizens from intrusion. The ban imposes liability for any call or text message sent without prior consent.
Marshall has been active in his support for the ban for the last few months.
“In March, I joined 32 other State attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in support of the federal robocall ban and States’ rights to seek justice for our residents against illegal robocallers,” said Marshall on Monday. “Today’s ruling is a victory for consumer rights.”