HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1635        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3306

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James J. Dwyer

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the use of business telephone numbers in the underground economy.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1635        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3306

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act relative to the use of business telephone numbers in the underground economy.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 166 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 45.  (a) The department of telecommunications and cable shall establish a program that shall require any person providing telephone services in the commonwealth, whether by wire or wireless, to verify the commercial nature of any customer or user of the telephone service which requests a phone line, phone number, or other comparable service that is in any way designated as a commercial or business-related line or number.  The program shall be established in accordance with the requirements of this section.

(b) A customer or user’s commercial nature may be verified through any of the following documents:- (1) articles of incorporation; (2) proof of existence as a limited liability company; (3) a business license; (4) a tax document; (5) an insurance policy; or (6) a permit or other registration from a municipality.

(c) Where a customer or user of a telephone service requests multiple lines or numbers to be designated as commercial or business-related, that customer shall demonstrate the authenticity of the need for multiple lines by showing that, at a minimum:

(1) Each line or number directs the caller to a particularly identified party;

(2) Each party is legally authorized to use the name by which it is identified and such name is the same one used in the party’s local municipality;

(3) The use of multiple lines or numbers is not redundant, confusing misleading, or deceptive; and

(4) The line or number does not solely advertise a customer’s products, services, prices or similar characteristics through an audio recording.

(d) The department of telecommunications and cable shall promulgate regulations to implement the requirements of this section.