Florida 2023 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0761 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 03/28/2023

                       
 
CS/HB 761  	2023 
 
 
 
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 
hb0761-01-c1 
Page 1 of 3 
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P	R E S E N T A T I V E	S 
 
 
 
A bill to be entitled 1 
An act relating to telephone solicitation; amending s. 2 
501.059, F.S.; revising definitions; prohibiting 3 
certain telephonic sales calls; providing conditions 4 
under which civil actions may not be brought for 5 
specified violations; providing an effective date. 6 
 7 
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8 
 9 
 Section 1.  Paragraphs (g) and (h) of subsection (1) and 10 
paragraph (a) of subsection (8) of section 501.059, Florida 11 
Statutes, are amended, and paragraph (c) is added to subsection 12 
(10) of that section, to read: 13 
 501.059  Telephone solicitation. — 14 
 (1)  As used in this section, the term: 15 
 (g)  "Prior express written consent" means a written 16 
agreement that: 17 
 1.  Bears the signature of the called party; 18 
 2.  Clearly authorizes the person making or allowing the 19 
placement of a telephonic sales call by telephone call, text 20 
message, or voicemail transmission to deliver or cause to be 21 
delivered to the called party a telephonic sales call using an 22 
automated system for the selection and or dialing of telephone 23 
numbers, the playing of a recorded message when a connection is 24 
completed to a number called, or the transmission of a 25     
 
CS/HB 761  	2023 
 
 
 
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 
hb0761-01-c1 
Page 2 of 3 
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P	R E S E N T A T I V E	S 
 
 
 
prerecorded voicemail; 26 
 3.  Includes the telephone number to which the called party 27 
signatory authorizes a telephonic sales call to be delivered; 28 
and 29 
 4.  Includes a clear and conspicuous disclosure informing 30 
the called party that: 31 
 a.  By executing the agreement, the called party au thorizes 32 
the person making or allowing the placement of a telephonic 33 
sales call to be made by telephone call, text message, or 34 
voicemail transmission to deliver or cause to be delivered a 35 
telephonic sales call to the called party a telephonic sales 36 
call using an automated system for the selection and or dialing 37 
of telephone numbers , if applicable, or the playing of a 38 
recorded message when a connection is completed to a number 39 
called, or the transmission of a prerecorded voicemail ; and 40 
 b.  He or she is not required to directly or indirectly 41 
sign the written agreement or to agree to enter into such an 42 
agreement as a condition of purchasing any property, goods, or 43 
services. 44 
 (h)  "Signature" includes : 45 
 1. An electronic or digital signature if, to the extent 46 
that such form of signature is recognized as a valid signature 47 
under applicable federal law or state contract law ; and 48 
 2.  An act that demonstrates express consent, including, 49 
but not limited to, checking a box indicating consent or 50     
 
CS/HB 761  	2023 
 
 
 
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 
hb0761-01-c1 
Page 3 of 3 
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P	R E S E N T A T I V E	S 
 
 
 
responding affirmativel y to receiving text messages, to an 51 
advertising campaign, or to an e -mail solicitation. 52 
 (8)(a)  A person may not make or knowingly allow to be made 53 
an unsolicited a telephonic sales call to be made if such call 54 
involves an automated system for the selection or dialing of 55 
telephone numbers or the playing of a recorded message when a 56 
connection is completed to a number called without the prior 57 
express written consent of the called party. 58 
 (10) 59 
 (c)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, 60 
no action shall lie for a violation of subsection (8) for any 61 
communication made within 30 days of: 62 
 1.  The called party or consumer communicating with a 63 
telephone solicitor or other person, orally or by text message, 64 
that such called party or consumer does not wish to receive any 65 
communications from that telephone solicitor or person or the 66 
seller or organization represented by that telephone solicitor 67 
or person. 68 
 2.  The called party or consumer effecti vely withdrawing a 69 
previously given valid consent. 70 
 Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 71