Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Campaign Communications topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sponsor pauses bill that would create private remedy for unwanted political texts
Summary
Senator Leake introduced Senate Bill 588 to let recipients enjoin candidates, committees or parties over unwanted campaign texts and seek attorneys' fees; he temporarily postponed the measure to meet with stakeholders and narrow its scope.
Senator Leake told the Ethics and Elections committee that Senate Bill 588 would create a private cause of action allowing a recipient of unwanted political text messages or calls to enjoin the sender — a candidate, committee or party — and to recover attorneys' fees.
"No matter how many times we reply 'stop' ... they just don't stop," Senator Leake said, describing the problem the bill targets. He added that, "as well intended as this bill is, it might be too broad at the moment," and asked to meet with stakeholders to narrow the proposal so legitimate polling could continue while preserving the prohibition's core.
Chair Gates accepted the request and the bill was temporarily postponed, the committee record shows. Senator Polsky had an amendment pending but did not move it because the bill was tabled. Leake said he would confer with stakeholders and staff to refine the measure before returning it to committee.
No formal vote on the substance of SB 588 was taken in the provided transcript; the committee chair noted the bill was "tped" (temporarily postponed) and the pending amendment was not moved.
