Robocalls Could Soon Be Illegal Under A Bill Passed By The House Technology Committee

Robocalls are annoying, inconvenient and they could soon be illegal under a bill passed out of the House Technology Committee Wednesday. 

"The called me one too many times," the bill's author Rep. Logan Phillips, R-Bixby, joked. 

Phillips, the chairman of the House Technology Committee, said even his own grandmother was scammed over the phone. 

"These type of people drive me insane and I cannot stand them, so anything I can do to destroy their market, I'm willing to do it," he said. 

Phillips's HB3168 bans automated sales calls, most all sales calls before 8 a.m. and after 8 p.m. and more than three sales calls within a 24-hour period on the same issue.

The bill however, could only target calls made within the United States. 

"If we pass this, is this going to fix the problem," Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City, asked during committee discussion. 

"For those companies that are operating in the United States, or in Oklahoma that are spoofing phone numbers, this is happening about 30%," Phillips said. "This will be a direct impact on their business model and those people who are doing ill will to our people."

"Fix it no, but it will definitely help," he said. 

The State's AARP said seniors are especially targets of the malicious calls.

"We need our, all Oklahomans, but especially older Oklahomans to be able to use their phone to conduct their daily business, to stay in contact with their family and know when their being called, it's a legitimate phone call." Chad Mullen with AARP Oklahoma said. 

He said last year, Oklahomans lost more than $10 Million to scams. AARP estimates there are six spam calls placed in Oklahoma every second. 

This bill is now eligible to be heard in the full House.