By: Taylor  S.B. No. 1040
         (In the Senate - Filed March 4, 2013; March 12, 2013, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Business and Commerce;
  May 1, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 1, 2013,
  sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1040 By:  Taylor
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to automated dial announcing devices.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 55.121, Utilities Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 55.121.  DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION]. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Automated[, "automated] dial announcing device"
  means automated equipment used for telephone solicitation or
  collection that can:
                     (A) [(1)]  store telephone numbers to be called or
  produce numbers to be called through use of a random or sequential
  number generator; and
                     (B) [(2)]  convey, alone or in conjunction with
  other equipment, a prerecorded or synthesized voice message to the
  number called without the use of a live operator.
               (2)  "Telephone solicitation" means an unsolicited
  call.
         SECTION 2.  Section 55.122, Utilities Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 55.122.  EXEMPTIONS. This subchapter does not apply to
  the use of an automated dial announcing device:
               (1)  to make a call relating to an emergency or a public
  service under a program developed or approved by the emergency
  management coordinator of the county in which the call is received;
  [or]
               (2)  by a public or private primary or secondary school
  system to locate or account for a truant student;
               (3)  by a municipality or a person calling on behalf of
  a municipality to deliver information to citizens of the
  municipality regarding a public health, safety, or welfare issue;
  or
               (4)  by an organization to a member of the
  organization.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter F, Chapter 55, Utilities Code, is
  amended by adding Section 55.1225 to read as follows:
         Sec. 55.1225.  APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies to an
  automated dial announcing device used to make a telephone call that
  originates or terminates in this state.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
 
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