Consumer protection; telephone solicitation database, prohibitions, penalties, damages, and defenses amended

HB 427 expands Alabama's "Do Not Call" database to include commercial and cellular phone subscribers, not just residential ones. It bans misleading caller ID information, restricts calls to between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and limits solicitation calls to three per 24 hours per person. The bill increases penalties for violations from $2,000 to $20,000 per offense and allows consumers to seek up to $20,000 in damages per violation. Violations would also be classified as deceptive trade practices under Alabama law.