Politics & Government
Tougher Robocall Laws May Be Coming To Washington
The state Attorney General is asking lawmakers to impose stronger rules and penalties for companies that bombard residents with robocalls.
SEATTLE — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson teamed up with a state lawmaker to draft new legislation that seeks to modernize the state's restrictions on "robocalls," making it easier to go after the people and organizations responsible. Similar protections were recently approved in Florida and Oklahoma.
The Robocall Scam Protection Act, authored by Ferguson and state Rep. Mari Leavitt (D-University Place), would update the state's existing law, making it a violation of the Consumer Protection Act to:
- Robocall someone on the Do Not Call Registry.
- Deliberately falsify the caller ID display to disguise the caller’s identity.
- Knowingly facilitate illegal robocalls if you are a voice service provider.
Right now, state law does not explicitly prohibit companies from contacting people on the federal "Do-Not-Call" registry. Ferguson's office said Washingtonians received 616 million robocalls last year, and nearly half involved illegal scams. A TrueCaller survey found more than 835,000 Washingtonians lost money from such calls in 2021 alone.
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"It's time to stop illegal robocalls," Ferguson said Wednesday. "The Legislature must give Washingtonians stronger and clearer legal protections against the daily bombardment of illegal robocalls — and provide additional tools to my office to hold bad actors accountable."
The proposed bill would add penalties for robocallers that "spoof" their numbers or contact people on the federal registry, along with allowing civil litigation against telecom networks that knowingly allow such calls to continue. Victims would also have the option to pursue legal action of their own, and violators would be liable to pay damages and fines.
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The legislation, which lawmakers will have the option to consider in the upcoming session, is part of Ferguson's broader initiative against robocalls launched earlier this year. Since March, the Attorney General said his office received more than 6,500 complaints.
Residents can report suspected illegal robocalls by filling out an online form or contacting Ferguson's office at 1-800-551-4636.
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