Legislature(1993 - 1994)
04/02/1993 01:00 PM House JUD
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 54: TELEPHONE CONSUMER PROTECTION Number 031 REPRESENTATIVE KAY BROWN, PRIME SPONSOR of HB 54, noted that some provisions of the bill had been dropped in the House Labor and Commerce Committee, and that the only provisions remaining in the bill related to caller identification service, a service soon to be available in Alaska. The bill required that customers have the option to block out calls either permanently or on a per-call basis, at no charge, she said. REPRESENTATIVE BROWN said that the caller ID service divulged the identity of the caller to the callee, which raised serious privacy issues, and questions of protection for victims' shelters, law enforcement, doctors, or public servants. She said that the Alaska Telephone Association had voiced objection in the Labor and Commerce Committee, and wanted to delete permanent line blocking requirements, found on line 9 of the bill, but leave intact the call-by- call blocking option. She considered the loss of the permanent block a serious change, and recommended against the change. REPRESENTATIVE BROWN said further that telephone companies wanted to charge for the blocking service, but she said that Pacific Telecom Inc. (PTI) offered the service for free in the State of Washington and still made a profit. She said that people had the right to opt out of caller ID, and that telephone companies were regulated monopolies. She said that there were other technologies available to deal with harassing phone calls. The purpose of caller ID was to allow telemarketers to capture the number of potential customers, and that impinged on the constitutional right to privacy, she concluded. Number 207 MARCIA MCKENZIE, PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR THE COUNCIL ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT, testified in support of HB 54. She said that caller ID could place a domestic violence shelter client's confidentiality in jeopardy, and could also place a victim in physical danger. She said that call-by-call blocking could pose a problem during crisis situations. She said that the Council supported the Labor and Commerce Committee version of the bill, as written. Number 262 REPRESENTATIVE GAIL PHILLIPS asked about the cost to a customer of having the call blocking service. Number 271 CINDY SMITH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ALASKA NETWORK ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT, testified in support of HB 54. She referred the committee to the Network's position paper on the bill. She said that, as about twelve other states required free call-by-call blocking, the request for such a service in Alaska was not unusual, and providing the service for free could be economically feasible. She said that people generally did not stay in shelters long, but privacy was also important when people returned to their permanent homes. Number 300 MS. SMITH said that many shelters employed volunteers, who used their home telephone lines in their service to shelters, and who sometimes sheltered people in their homes and therefore needed secure telephones. She said that the Network did not oppose telemarketers, but said that Alaskans should have a choice as to whether they wanted to have caller ID services, and those who wanted the service should bear the cost, not those who did not. She said that the cost would be from $6 to $9 per month. Number 351 REPRESENTATIVE JOE GREEN asked Representative Brown whether HB 54 would allow a telephone subscriber not to have the caller ID service, and not to have his or her number displayed to another caller who had the service. REPRESENTATIVE BROWN answered that HB 54 would allow telephone subscribers to opt out of the caller ID service for free. Number 376 CHAIRMAN BRIAN PORTER asked if the three-digit number that people would have to dial in for call-by-call blocking would be the same for all telephones. REPRESENTATIVE BROWN answered that some states had toggle switches to turn the blocking on or off, that some telephone companies had the same numbers, and that in some places the same three digits both activated and de-activated the call blocking feature. Number 410 CHAIRMAN PORTER asked if there was anyone else who wanted to testify on HB 54. He supported the bill, and said that line and call blockage was important, especially in Alaska, which had constitutionally guaranteed privacy rights. He said that he would entertain a motion. REPRESENTATIVE GREEN MOVED PASSAGE OF CS HB54 (L&C) with individual recommendations and a zero fiscal note. CHAIRMAN PORTER asked for objections, and hearing none, declared CSHB 54 (L&C) PASSED from committee with individual recommendations. He then brought HB 217 to the table. Number 450
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