SB 1114 – Prohibits businesses from deceptively listing fictitious or assumed business names in telephone directories or directory assistance databases

• Sponsor: Bray
• LR Number: 4966S.01I
• Committee: Commerce, Energy and the Environment
• Last Action: 2/14/2008 - Second Read and Referred S Commerce, Energy and the Environment Committee
• Journal Page: S248
• Effective Date: August 28, 2008

Current Bill Summary

SB 1114 - This act prohibits a business from listing a fictitious or assumed name in a local telephone directory or directory assistance database when: the name misrepresents the geographic location of the business; calls to the listed number are forwarded to a number outside the local calling area; when the business is located in a county that is not contiguous to any county in the local calling area; and additionally for telephone directories, when the phone listing does not identify the business' physical address.

Telephone companies or providers of telephone directories or directory assistance services are not liable for any such deceptive listing, provided the deceptive listing does not relate to their own businesses.

Violations of the act are considered an unlawful merchandising practice, which the Attorney General currently has authority to prosecute.

This act is similar to HB 1796 (2008).

ERIKA JAQUES