Protecting American Consumers from Robocalls Act

Bill Number

S. 4307

Origin Chamber

Senate

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-04-15: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text: CR S1786)

Last Updated

2026-04-29T04:53:37Z

AI-Generated Summary

Protecting American Consumers from Robocalls Act (S. 4307)

Purpose

This bill aims to strengthen protections against unwanted telemarketing calls by expanding the "Do Not Call" rules to cover all telephone subscribers (not just residential landlines), making it easier for individuals to sue violators after even a single call, and broadening the definition of an automatic telephone dialing system (ATDS)—equipment that dials phone numbers automatically—to include calls from pre-made lists without human involvement.

Key Provisions

• Expands Do Not Call rules (under Section 227(c) of the Communications Act of 1934):
• Applies protections to all telephone subscribers, including wireless and mobile phones.
• Allows individuals to sue for violations after a single unwanted call from or on behalf of the same entity (previously required multiple calls).
• Removes limits on damages, enabling courts to award $500 per violation (or more for willful violations).
• Requires Federal Communications Commission (FCC) action: FCC must update its Do Not Call regulations within 270 days of enactment to reflect these changes.
• Updates ATDS definition (under Section 227(a) of the Communications Act):
• Includes systems that dial numbers from a pre-made list of telephone numbers (not just random or sequential generators).
• Covers systems that dial numbers successively without human intervention.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Removes "residential" restriction: Previously, Do Not Call rules applied only to landline home phones; now includes cell phones and other lines.
• Lowers threshold for lawsuits: Changes from requiring "more than one call within 12 months" to any single call, and eliminates "up to" language for statutory damages (shifting from capped to minimum awards).
• Broadens ATDS scope: Clarifies that dialing from stored lists qualifies as an ATDS if done automatically, addressing court rulings (e.g., post-2018) that had narrowed the definition to exclude list-based dialing.

Potential Impacts

• On citizens: Greater protection from robocalls and telemarketing on all phones; easier access to damages through private lawsuits, potentially reducing unwanted calls.
• On businesses: Telemarketers and robocallers face stricter compliance, higher litigation risks, and possible increased costs for call systems or legal defenses.
• On government agencies: FCC must revise rules quickly, increasing enforcement workload but shifting more burden to private lawsuits.
• No direct impact on international relations.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Consumers/telephone subscribers: Primary beneficiaries with expanded rights.
• Telemarketing companies and callers: Face new restrictions and lawsuit exposure.
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC): Responsible for implementing regulatory changes.
• Attorneys and courts: Likely increase in private lawsuits due to lowered barriers to suing.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Enhances private right of action (individuals' ability to sue directly), promoting enforcement without relying solely on FCC; aligns with Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) goals but may lead to more litigation.
• Constitutional: No explicit challenges noted; TCPA restrictions on commercial speech have been upheld by courts as reasonable consumer protections.
• Political: Introduced by Senators Durbin, Smith, Hirono, Welch, Sanders, and King; referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation—signals bipartisan consumer protection focus amid ongoing robocall complaints.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]

Cosponsors (5)

Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN], Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT], Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]

Recent Actions

• 2026-04-15: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text: CR S1786)
• 2026-04-15: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

• Protecting American Consumers from Robocalls Act — issued 2026-04-15 — PDF (3 pages)