House passes Morrell protections for cell phone privacy

February 7, 2008

OLYMPIA— The House today voted 92 to 3 to protect consumers by prohibiting anyone from publishing private cell phone numbers in commercial phone directories without the express permission of the cell phone customer.

“The last thing people need is to be flooded with cell phone calls day and night because their phone numbers were publicized without their permission,” Morrell said.

“Passing this law will not only help protect citizens from being charged for unsolicited calls, it will also protect, senior citizens, domestic violence victims, children and others who could be harmed if their phone numbers got into the wrong hands.”

AARP Washington strongly supported the measure that passed today.

"AARP surveys have shown that 90 percent of cell phone users think their phone numbers should not be put into commercial directories without the customer's permission," said Ingrid McDonald, Advocacy Director for AARP Washington. "The Morrell cell-phone privacy bill will also help protect Washington's senior citizens against phone scammers."

Morrell’s legislation strengthens a 2005 state law she authored that imposes fines of up to $50,000 per violation on wireless companies that put cell phone numbers into commercial directories without their customers’ written consent.

The 2005 law, dubbed the “Escape Cell Hell” law, was hailed as an important victory for consumer protection by the national Consumers Union, the non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports.

“Our Escape Cell Hell law is working great, except now we need to expand it beyond cell phone companies,” said Morrell. “We’ve been warned by the state Attorney General and phone companies that we must act now to protect citizens from data harvesters that intend to sell personal cell phone information for a quick buck. We can’t afford to wait.”

The measure, House Bill 2479, now moves to the Senate.

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