Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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A Minnesota legislator is proposing a statewide crackdown on predatory robocalls.

Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids, said Monday that he plans to introduce legislation next year to make such calls illegal in the state. He said his goal is to pass the nation’s toughest anti-robocall law.

“The explosion of fraudulent robocalls demands a strong response,” Stephenson said, adding that he is especially concerned about the use of spoofing technology, which allows calls originating from another country to appear on caller ID as local calls. 

His proposal would require telecommunications companies to block the calls at no extra cost to consumers.

“The technology already exists to block these spoofed calls before they ever reach your phone,” he said. “We just need to make sure this technology is working to the benefit of every Minnesotan.”

The proposal would also provide additional legal tools to the Minnesota Department of Commerce to act against robocalls. Details of the bills are still under development.

The chair of the House Commerce Committee Rep. Laurie Halverson, DFL-Eagan, said better protections are needed against robocall scams.

“We don’t need to have our days interrupted by robocalls, and we do not have to have our vulnerable populations in Minnesota being fleeced by these folks,” Halverson said.

Politics and Government News

Tim Pugmire

Author

Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids, is proposing to crack down on robocalls by making them illegal in Minnesota and pressuring telecommunications companies to block the calls at no extra charge to customers.

Minnesota lawmaker proposes banning robocalls

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