Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB0728

Creates the Calling Card Consumer Protection Act. Sets forth the findings of the General Assembly. Contains required disclosures for prepaid telephone calling cards and services. Specifies what qualifies as unlawful conduct related to prepaid telephone calling cards and that a violation of specified provisions is an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Effective immediately.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that a prepaid telephone calling service provider or prepaid telephone calling card distributors shall disclose the total value in dollars or the number of calling minutes charged or deducted specifically for the use of the card on a payphone. Provides that the prepaid telephone calling service provider or prepaid telephone calling service distributor shall separately state the total value in dollars or the number of calling minutes charged or deducted (i) for the amount of money paid by the prepaid calling service provider to the payphone service provider for the use of the payphone; and (ii) by the prepaid telephone calling service provider in addition to those in specified provisions for the use of the card on the payphone. Requires a prepaid calling service provider or a prepaid calling service reseller to provide the hours of customer service if that service is not provided 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Requires that all material terms and conditions pertaining to the specific prepaid calling card shall be disclosed in plain English and meet certain specified criteria. Contains the disclosure requirements for (i) prepaid calling services made through the Internet, and (ii) retail merchants offering prepaid calling services. Specifies disclosure requirements for prepaid calling card if the predominant language used on the card is other than English. Specifies that a violation of the Act includes failing to meet specified disclosure requirements concerning prepaid calling services. Provides that liability may not be avoided by simply stating that the displayed, promoted, or advertised minutes are subject to fees or charges. Provides that a prepaid calling service provider, a prepaid calling service reseller, or a prepaid calling service retailer shall not be liable for lawful fees, charges and limitations, including lawful conditions of use, that are disclosed.

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