Source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=19.250&full=true
Timestamp: 2020-08-15 14:26:08
Document Index: 41596158

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 5', '§ 6', '§ 4', '§ 7']

Chapter 19.250 RCW: DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL WIRELESS NUMBERS
RCWs > Title 19 > Chapter 19.250
Chapter 19.250 RCW
19.250.005 Definitions.
19.250.010 Wireless subscriber must opt-in to any directory database—Disclosure requirement.
19.250.020 Reasonable investigation required—Consent.
19.250.030 Removal from directory—Reverse phone number search services.
19.250.040 Violation—Application of chapter 19.86 RCW.
19.250.050 Violations—Penalties—Attorney general may enforce—Limitation of liability.
19.250.070 Application of chapter—Limitations.
RCW 19.250.005
(1) "Directory" or "directory form" means a categorized list or compilation of phone numbers, or a single phone number, in written, audio, electronic, digital, or any other format.
(2) "Directory provider" means any person in the business of marketing, selling, or sharing the phone number of any subscriber in directory form for commercial purposes.
(3) "Radio communications service company" has the same meaning as in RCW 80.04.010.
(4) "Reverse phone number search services" means a service that provides the name of a subscriber associated with a phone number when the phone number is supplied.
(5) "Subscriber" means a person who resides in the state of Washington and subscribes to radio communications services, radio paging, or cellular communications service with a Washington state area code.
(6) "Wireless phone number" means a phone number unique to the subscriber that permits the subscriber to receive radio communications, radio paging, or cellular communications from others.
[ 2009 c 401 § 1; 2008 c 271 § 2.]
Findings—2008 c 271: "The legislature finds that the right to privacy is a personal and fundamental right protected by Article I, section 7 of the state Constitution. The legislature also finds that, in the vast majority of cases, subscribers pay for both incoming and outgoing calls, and that subscribers purchase cell phone service with an expectation that their numbers will not be made public. Therefore, the legislature recognizes that a subscriber's cell phone number should be kept private, unless that subscriber knowingly provides their express, opt-in consent to have that number made available in a public directory." [ 2008 c 271 § 1.]
RCW 19.250.030
Removal from directory—Reverse phone number search services.
(1) A subscriber may request that a directory provider or a radio communications service company remove their wireless phone number from a directory of any form at any time. A radio communications service company or a directory provider shall, at no cost to the subscriber, comply with the subscriber's request to remove their wireless phone number from a directory of any form within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed sixty days for printed directories and not to exceed thirty days for online or other directories.
(2) At the subscriber's request, a provider of a reverse phone number search service must allow a subscriber to perform a reverse phone number search free of charge to determine whether the subscriber's wireless phone number is listed in the reverse phone number search service. If the subscriber finds that his or her wireless phone number is contained in the reverse phone number search service, the subscriber may request that his or her wireless phone number be removed from the reverse phone number search service at any time. The provider of the reverse phone number search service must, at no cost to the subscriber, comply with the subscriber's request within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed thirty days.
[ 2009 c 401 § 2; 2008 c 271 § 5.]
RCW 19.250.040
Violation—Application of chapter 19.86 RCW.
The legislature finds that allowing a subscriber to opt out of a reverse phone number search service vitally affects the public interest for the purpose of applying chapter 19.86 RCW. A violation of RCW 19.250.030 by a provider of a reverse phone number search service is not reasonable in relation to the development and preservation of business and is an unfair or deceptive act in trade or commerce and an unfair method of competition for the purpose of applying chapter 19.86 RCW.
[ 2008 c 271 § 6.]
RCW 19.250.050
Violations—Penalties—Attorney general may enforce—Limitation of liability.
(1) Every knowing violation of RCW 19.250.010 is punishable by a fine of not less than two thousand dollars and no more than fifty thousand dollars for each violation.
(2) Including a wireless phone number in a directory without a subscriber's express, opt-in consent pursuant to RCW 19.250.020 is a violation of this chapter and is punishable by a fine of up to fifty thousand dollars unless the directory provider first conducted a reasonable investigation as required in RCW 19.250.020 and was unable to determine if the published number was a wireless phone number.
(3) Failure to remove a wireless phone number from a directory of any form within a reasonable period of time as required in RCW 19.250.030 is a violation of this chapter and is punishable by a fine of up to fifty thousand dollars.
(4) The attorney general may bring actions to enforce compliance with this section. For the first violation by any company, organization, or person under this chapter, the attorney general may notify the company, organization, or person with a letter of warning that this chapter has been violated.
(5) A telecommunications company or directory provider, or any official or employee of a telecommunications company or directory provider, is not subject to criminal or civil liability for the release of customer information as authorized by this chapter.
[ 2009 c 401 § 4; 2008 c 271 § 7.]