Last year, the Senate passed the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 (S. 30 passed unanimously) and this year, the House moved forward on their own version. Of course, moving at the speed of government, the House passed the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2010.

Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 – Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to make it unlawful for any person in the United States, in connection with any telecommunication service or VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) service, to cause any caller identification service to transmit misleading or inaccurate caller identification information (“spoofing”) with the intent to defraud or cause harm. Prohibits construing these provisions to prevent blocking caller identification or to authorize or prohibit law enforcement or U.S. intelligence agency activities.

Interestingly, the bill provides the FCC authority to “to collect fees from the telecommunications industry sufficient to offset the cost of its regulatory program” — a cost which is estimated at $1 million dollars per year. The only exception to the proposed law appears to be for Law Enforcement purposes, however even the CBO points out that domestic violence shelters (attempting to protect the identity of spouses) may be affected by the new regulation.

Of course, as Schoolhouse Rock taught us, the next step is for the House and Senate to resolve any differences. After that, it’s up to the President to decide if this bill becomes law. After all,  it’s a long, long journey to the capital city. Today, it’s just a bill.

Additional Reading / Links of Interest

• Schoolhouse Rock: I’m Just a Bill (Schoolhouse Rock)
• S. 30:Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 (govtrack.us)
• HR 1258, Truth in Caller ID Act of 2010 (Congressional Budget Office)
• HR 1258, Truth in Caller ID Act (Library of Congress)
• Grammar Girl: Affect Versus Effect (Grammar Girl)