BILL NUMBER: S8470
SPONSOR: LIU
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to enacting the
Robocall Identification and Notification for Guarding consumers act
 
PURPOSE:
To require voice service providers to clearly and consistently display
the STIR/SHAKEN caller ID verification status for incoming phone calls
in real time, thereby empowering consumers to better identify spoofed or
fraudulent calls.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill designates the short title as the "Robocall Iden-
tification and Notification for Guarding consumers Act" or the "RING
Act."
Section 2 outlines legislative findings and intent, recognizing the
increasing danger posed by robocalls, spoofing, and fraudulent telemar-
keting, and the need to make STIR/SHAKEN verification data visible to
consumers at the moment a call is received.
Section 3 amends section 399-z-1 of the general business law by adding a
new subdivision requiring voice service providers operating in New York
to:
* Process and evaluate STIR/SHAKEN verification status for incoming
calls in real time;
* Display verification status visually to the customer when technically
feasible, using standardized labels developed by the Public Service
Commission
* File annual reports with the Public Service Commission;
* Comply with rules promulgated by the Commission and be subject to
civil penalties for violations;
* Ensure that verification information is not knowingly withheld if
available and displaycapabl e.
Section 4 provides a severability clause.
Section 5 establishes the effective date as one year after enactment and
allows necessary rules . and regulations to be developed.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Scam calls and phone number spoofing have become a persistent and wide-
spread threat to New Yorkers, eroding consumer trust and enabling fraud.
STIR/SHAKEN is a framework adopted by telecommunications providers that
uses digital certificates to verify the authenticity of Caller ID Infor-
mation. It stands for Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR) and
Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs (SHAKEN).
These protocols help identify whether a call has been originated from a
legitimate source or has been spoofed. Starting in 2021, the Federal
Communications Commission requires the use of these protocols.
While STIR/SHAKEN technology has improved the ability to verify caller
identity, consumers currently have no standardized way to consistently
know whether a caller has been authenticated at the moment they receive
a phone call.
The RING Act fills this transparency gap by requiring phone carriers to
display real-time verification status using clear, universal symbols or
phrases that correspond to levels of STIR/SHAKEN authentication as
determined by the Public Service Commission. This ensures that New York-
ers have the information they need to make safe and informed decisions
about whether to answer a call.
By mandating transparency and standardization, this legislation
strengthens consumer protection, restores trust in telecommunications,
and puts the power back in the hands of call recipients. It also
enhances enforcement by requiring reporting and empowering the Public
Service Commission to oversee compliance.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the state. Telecommunications providers are responsible for
implementation using existing STIR/SHAKEN infrastructure.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect one year after it has become law.