On October 16, 2023, a group of Wisconsin state senators introduced S.B. 531, which would amend the state’s telephone solicitation statute to create new restrictions on “caller identification records,” which the bill defines in relevant part as “a record that is delivered electronically to the recipient of a telephone call or text message . . . that indicates the telephone number from which the telephone call or text message was initiated or similar information . . .”

If enacted, the bill would prohibit a person from “knowingly transmit[ing] a misleading or inaccurate caller identification record through a telephone call or text message with the intent to defraud or wrongfully obtain anything of value, including personally identifiable information.” 

The bill also would prohibit telephone solicitors from “block[ing] the transmission of a caller identification record” and “knowingly transmit[ing] a misleading or inaccurate caller identification record” when making telephone solicitations.  It would allow telephone solicitors and their employees and contractors to “transmit the name of the seller on whose behalf the telephone solicitation is being made and the seller’s customer service telephone number if an individual may call that number to make do-not-call request during regular business hours.”

The bill would exempt “transmission[s] of a caller identification record in connection with the authorized activity of a law enforcement agency or a court order that specifically authorizes the manipulation of caller identification record.” 

Violations of these restrictions would be subject to a fine of between $100 and $10,000 for each violation.