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1 | AN ACT concerning utilities.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | |||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Calling Card Consumer Protection Act. | |||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that: | |||||||||||||||||||||
7 | (1) the prepaid telephone calling card industry in the | |||||||||||||||||||||
8 | United States is plagued by fraudulent and deceptive business | |||||||||||||||||||||
9 | practices; and | |||||||||||||||||||||
10 | (2) the necessary protections relating to prepaid | |||||||||||||||||||||
11 | telephone calling cards must ensure that all advertising is | |||||||||||||||||||||
12 | truthful, accurate, and reasonably discloses the terms and | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | conditions of prepaid telephone calling cards and prepaid | |||||||||||||||||||||
14 | telephone calling services. | |||||||||||||||||||||
15 | Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act: | |||||||||||||||||||||
16 | "Prepaid telephone calling service provider" means any | |||||||||||||||||||||
17 | entity, corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, | |||||||||||||||||||||
18 | or person providing prepaid telephone calling service to the | |||||||||||||||||||||
19 | public using its own, or a resold telecommunications network or | |||||||||||||||||||||
20 | voice over Internet technology. | |||||||||||||||||||||
21 | "Prepaid telephone calling service" or "service" means any | |||||||||||||||||||||
22 | prepaid telecommunications service that allows consumers to |
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1 | originate calls through a local, long distance, or toll-free | ||||||
2 | access number and authorization code, whether manually or | ||||||
3 | electronically dialed. "Prepaid telephone calling service" or | ||||||
4 | "service" does not include any service that provides access to | ||||||
5 | a wireless telecommunications service account wherein the | ||||||
6 | purchaser has a pre-existing relationship with the wireless | ||||||
7 | service provider or establishes a carrier-customer | ||||||
8 | relationship via the purchase of the object. | ||||||
9 | "Prepaid telephone calling card" or "card" means any right | ||||||
10 | of use purchased for a sum certain that contains an access | ||||||
11 | number and authorization code that enables a consumer to use a | ||||||
12 | prepaid telephone calling service. The rights of use may be | ||||||
13 | embodied on a card or other physical object or may be purchased | ||||||
14 | by an electronic or telephonic means through which the | ||||||
15 | purchaser obtains access numbers and authorization codes that | ||||||
16 | are not physically located on a card, its packaging, an | ||||||
17 | Internet website, or other promotional materials. "Prepaid | ||||||
18 | telephone calling card" or "card" does not include cards or | ||||||
19 | other rights of use that provide access to any of the | ||||||
20 | following: | ||||||
21 | (1) a telecommunications service wherein the card or | ||||||
22 | other rights of use and telecommunications service are | ||||||
23 | provided for free or at no additional charge as a | ||||||
24 | promotional item accompanying a product or service | ||||||
25 | purchased by a consumer; or | ||||||
26 | (2) a wireless telecommunications service account |
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1 | wherein the purchaser has a pre-existing relationship with | ||||||
2 | the wireless service provider or establishes a | ||||||
3 | carrier-customer relationship via the purchase of the | ||||||
4 | object. | ||||||
5 | "Prepaid telephone calling card distributor" means any | ||||||
6 | entity, corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, | ||||||
7 | or person that purchases prepaid telephone calling cards from a | ||||||
8 | prepaid telephone calling card provider or distributor and | ||||||
9 | sells, re-sells, issues, or distributes cards to one or more | ||||||
10 | distributors of such cards or to one or more retail sellers of | ||||||
11 | cards. "Prepaid telephone calling card distributor" does not | ||||||
12 | include any retail merchants or sellers of prepaid telephone | ||||||
13 | calling cards exclusively engaged in point-of-sale | ||||||
14 | transactions with end-user customers.
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15 | Section 15. Required disclosures of prepaid telephone | ||||||
16 | calling cards or services. | ||||||
17 | (a) Any prepaid telephone calling service provider or | ||||||
18 | prepaid telephone calling card distributors shall disclose all | ||||||
19 | of the following information relating to the terms and | ||||||
20 | conditions of the prepaid telephone calling card or service: | ||||||
21 | (1) The total value in dollars or the number of calling | ||||||
22 | minutes available of the prepaid telephone calling card or | ||||||
23 | service at the time of purchase. | ||||||
24 | (2) A description of any and all terms and conditions | ||||||
25 | pertaining to, and associated with, the use of the prepaid |
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1 | telephone calling service and prepaid telephone calling | ||||||
2 | card, including all fees, limitations on the use of minutes | ||||||
3 | available, and surcharges and applicable policies relating | ||||||
4 | to refund, recharge, decrement, and expiration. | ||||||
5 | (3) The name of the prepaid telephone calling service | ||||||
6 | provider. | ||||||
7 | (4) The prepaid telephone calling service provider's | ||||||
8 | customer service telephone number and hours of service. | ||||||
9 | (b) The location of the disclosure and language requirement | ||||||
10 | shall be as follows: | ||||||
11 | (1) In the case of a prepaid telephone calling card, | ||||||
12 | the disclosures required under subsection (a) of this | ||||||
13 | Section shall be printed in plain English language in a | ||||||
14 | clear and conspicuous location on the prepaid telephone | ||||||
15 | calling card or its packaging. If the card is enclosed in | ||||||
16 | opaque packaging, the disclosures shall be printed on the | ||||||
17 | outside packaging of the card.
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18 | (2) In the case of a prepaid telephone calling service | ||||||
19 | that consumers access and purchase via the Internet, the | ||||||
20 | disclosures required under subsection (a) of this Section | ||||||
21 | shall be displayed in plain English language in a clear and | ||||||
22 | conspicuous location on the Internet site that the consumer | ||||||
23 | must access prior to purchasing the service. | ||||||
24 | (3) The disclosures required under subsection (a) of | ||||||
25 | this Section shall also be printed on any advertising for | ||||||
26 | the prepaid telephone calling card or service, including on |
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1 | any signs for display by retail merchants, any promotional | ||||||
2 | emails, any Internet site used to promote the card or | ||||||
3 | service, and on any other promotional material. | ||||||
4 | (4) If a language other than English is predominantly | ||||||
5 | used on a prepaid telephone calling card, its packaging, or | ||||||
6 | in point of sale advertising, or promotional material of a | ||||||
7 | prepaid telephone calling card or prepaid telephone | ||||||
8 | calling service, then the disclosures required by this | ||||||
9 | Section shall be disclosed in that language on the card, | ||||||
10 | packaging, advertisement, or promotional material. | ||||||
11 | Section 20. Unlawful conduct related to prepaid telephone | ||||||
12 | calling cards. | ||||||
13 | (a) It shall be a violation of the Consumer Fraud and | ||||||
14 | Deceptive Business Practices Act for any prepaid telephone | ||||||
15 | calling service provider or prepaid telephone calling card | ||||||
16 | distributor to assess any fee associated with the prepaid | ||||||
17 | telephone calling card or prepaid telephone calling service, or | ||||||
18 | impose any charge for any permitted use of the prepaid | ||||||
19 | telephone calling card or prepaid telephone calling service if | ||||||
20 | the fee or charge is not disclosed as required under Section 15 | ||||||
21 | of this Act. | ||||||
22 | (b) It shall be a violation of the Consumer Fraud and | ||||||
23 | Deceptive Business Practices Act for any prepaid telephone | ||||||
24 | calling service provider to provide fewer minutes than the | ||||||
25 | number of minutes promoted or advertised on any prepaid |
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1 | telephone calling card, any point of sale material relating to | ||||||
2 | the card or the other advertising related to any prepaid | ||||||
3 | telephone calling card or service. Any limitation on the period | ||||||
4 | of time for which the displayed, promoted, or advertised | ||||||
5 | minutes will be available to the customer shall be | ||||||
6 | conspicuously displayed on the card, packaging, and | ||||||
7 | promotional material that lists the minutes, consistent with | ||||||
8 | Section 15 of this Act. | ||||||
9 | (c) It shall be a violation of the Consumer Fraud and | ||||||
10 | Deceptive Business Practices Act for any prepaid telephone | ||||||
11 | calling card distributor to distribute any prepaid telephone | ||||||
12 | calling card that the distributor knows that the prepaid | ||||||
13 | telephone calling card provides fewer minutes than the number | ||||||
14 | of minutes promoted or advertised on any prepaid telephone | ||||||
15 | calling card, any point of sale material relating to such card, | ||||||
16 | any voice prompt indicating the number of minutes available, or | ||||||
17 | other advertising relating to any prepaid telephone calling | ||||||
18 | card or service. Any limitations on the period of time for | ||||||
19 | which the displayed, promoted, or advertised minutes will be | ||||||
20 | available to the customer shall be conspicuously displayed on | ||||||
21 | the card, packaging, and promotional material that lists the | ||||||
22 | minutes, consistent with Section 15 of this Act. | ||||||
23 | (d) It shall be a violation of the Consumer Fraud and | ||||||
24 | Deceptive Business Practices Act for any prepaid telephone | ||||||
25 | calling service provider to provide fewer minutes than the | ||||||
26 | number of minutes promoted or advertised through any voice |
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1 | prompt given to a customer at the time the customer places a | ||||||
2 | call to a dialed destination with the prepaid telephone calling | ||||||
3 | card or service. | ||||||
4 | (e) It shall be a violation of the Consumer Fraud and | ||||||
5 | Deceptive Business Practices Act for any prepaid telephone | ||||||
6 | calling card distributor to distribute prepaid telephone | ||||||
7 | calling cards that it knows provide fewer minutes than the | ||||||
8 | number of minutes promoted or advertised through any voice | ||||||
9 | prompt given to a customer at the time the customer places a | ||||||
10 | call to a dialed destination with the prepaid telephone calling | ||||||
11 | card or service. | ||||||
12 | (f) Unless a different expiration date is clearly disclosed | ||||||
13 | pursuant to the disclosure requirements under Section 15 of | ||||||
14 | this Act, it shall be unlawful for any prepaid telephone | ||||||
15 | calling service provider or prepaid telephone calling card | ||||||
16 | distributor to provide, issue, resell, or distribute a prepaid | ||||||
17 | telephone calling card or service that expires (i) less than 1 | ||||||
18 | year from the date on which the card or service is first used; | ||||||
19 | or
(ii) in the case of a prepaid telephone calling card or | ||||||
20 | service that permits the consumer to purchase additional usage | ||||||
21 | minutes or add additional value to the card or service, less | ||||||
22 | than 1 year from the date on which the consumer last purchased | ||||||
23 | additional usage minutes or added additional value to the card | ||||||
24 | or service. | ||||||
25 | (g) It shall be a violation of the Consumer Fraud and | ||||||
26 | Deceptive Business Practices Act for any prepaid telephone |
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1 | calling service provider or service to assess any fee or charge | ||||||
2 | for any unconnected telephone call. For purposes of this | ||||||
3 | subsection (g), a telephone call shall not be considered | ||||||
4 | connected if the person placing the call receives a busy signal | ||||||
5 | or if the call is unanswered. | ||||||
6 | (h) Liability under this Section may not be avoided by | ||||||
7 | stating that the displayed, promoted, or advertised minutes are | ||||||
8 | subject to fees or charges, or by utilizing other disclaimers | ||||||
9 | or limitations. | ||||||
10 | (i) A violation of this Section is an unlawful practice | ||||||
11 | within the meaning of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business | ||||||
12 | Practices Act. | ||||||
13 | Section 90. The Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business | ||||||
14 | Practices Act is amended by changing Section 2Z as follows:
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15 | (815 ILCS 505/2Z) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 262Z)
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16 | Sec. 2Z. Violations of other Acts. Any person who knowingly | ||||||
17 | violates
the Automotive Repair Act, the Automotive Collision | ||||||
18 | Repair Act,
the Home Repair and Remodeling Act,
the Dance | ||||||
19 | Studio Act,
the Physical Fitness Services Act,
the Hearing | ||||||
20 | Instrument Consumer Protection Act,
the Illinois Union Label | ||||||
21 | Act,
the Job Referral and Job Listing Services Consumer | ||||||
22 | Protection Act,
the Travel Promotion Consumer Protection Act,
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23 | the Credit Services Organizations Act,
the Automatic Telephone | ||||||
24 | Dialers Act,
the Pay-Per-Call Services Consumer Protection |
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1 | Act,
the Telephone Solicitations Act,
the Illinois Funeral or | ||||||
2 | Burial Funds Act,
the Cemetery Care Act,
the Safe and Hygienic | ||||||
3 | Bed Act,
the Pre-Need Cemetery Sales Act,
the High Risk Home | ||||||
4 | Loan Act, the Payday Loan Reform Act, the Mortgage Rescue Fraud | ||||||
5 | Act, subsection (a) or (b) of Section 3-10 of the
Cigarette Tax | ||||||
6 | Act, the Payday Loan Reform Act, subsection
(a) or (b) of | ||||||
7 | Section 3-10 of the Cigarette Use Tax Act, the Electronic
Mail | ||||||
8 | Act, the Internet Caller Identification Act, paragraph (6)
of
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9 | subsection (k) of Section 6-305 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, | ||||||
10 | Section 18d-115, 18d-120, 18d-125, 18d-135, or 18d-150 of the | ||||||
11 | Illinois Vehicle Code, Article 3 of the Residential Real | ||||||
12 | Property Disclosure Act, the Automatic Contract Renewal Act, | ||||||
13 | the Calling Card Consumer Protection Act, or the Personal | ||||||
14 | Information Protection Act commits an unlawful practice within | ||||||
15 | the meaning of this Act.
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16 | (Source: P.A. 94-13, eff. 12-6-05; 94-36, eff. 1-1-06; 94-280, | ||||||
17 | eff. 1-1-06; 94-292, eff. 1-1-06; 94-822, eff. 1-1-07; 95-413, | ||||||
18 | eff. 1-1-08; 95-562, eff. 7-1-08; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)
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19 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
20 | becoming law.
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