Committee hears anti‑spoofing, business no‑call bills after sponsors describe fraud, time lost

The House Committee on Utilities heard House Bills 509 and 564 on telecom spoofing and no‑call protections, sponsors said, during a public hearing that drew industry and consumer representatives.

Rep. Mitch Boggs, sponsor of HB 564 and representative of District 157, told the committee the bill "puts a penalty upon people that are spoof calling," describing calls that use local area codes to dupe recipients. Rep. Travis Wilson, sponsor of the companion measure and representative of District 106, said HB 509 would "allow[] [businesses] to join the no call list," and described business owners who lose work time to repeated calls.

Why it matters: Witnesses said spoofing and telemarketing undermine small businesses and create fraud risk for banks; the bills would create a statutory…