I plan on reintroducing Senate Bill 381 of the previous session, which will prohibit a telemarketer from spoofing phone numbers so the call appears to originate from the same local area as the recipient. Furthermore, this legislation will prohibit telemarketers from making “robocalls” after 8 p.m. in the call recipient’s time zone.

This legislation was previously cosponsored by Senators Stefano, Langerholc, Bartolotta, Brewster, Kane, Laughlin, Tartaglione, Comitta, Santarsiero, Cappelletti, Costa and Hutchinson.

Robocalls are a common nuisance in today’s society, and are especially burdensome to senior citizens. When the phone numbers are spoofed to appear to be from the local area, a senior citizen may believe the call to be from a family member or a neighbor contacting them about an emergency, especially when these calls are made later in the evening. Instead, the individual is met with a computerized telemarketing message.

Please join me in cosponsoring this important piece of legislation, and do not hesitate to contact my office with any questions.