In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Slamming Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS AGAINST UNAUTHORIZED CHANGES OF
PROVIDERS OF TELEPHONE SERVICE.

Section 258 of the Communications Act of 1984 (47 U.S.C. 258) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
''(c) Criminal Penalties.--
''(1) Persons.--Any person who executes a change in a
provider of telephone exchange service or telephone toll
service in willful violation of the procedures prescribed under
subsection (a)--
''(A) shall be fined not more than $1,000,
imprisoned not more than 30 days, or both, for the
first offense; and
''(B) shall be fined not more than $10,000,
imprisoned not more than 9 months, or both, for any
subsequent offense.
''(2) Telecommunications carriers.--Any telecommunications
carrier who executes a change in a provider of telephone
exchange service or telephone toll service in willful violation
of the procedures prescribed under subsection (a) shall be
fined not more than $50,000 for the first offense and shall be
fined not more than $100,000 for any subsequent offense.
''(d) Private Right of Action.--
''(1) In general.--A subscriber whose provider of telephone
exchange service or telephone toll service is changed in
violation of the procedures prescribed under subsection (a)
may, within one year after discovery of the change, bring in an
appropriate court an action--
''(A) for an order to revoke the change;
''(B) for an award of damages in an amount equal to
the greater of--
''(i) the actual monetary loss resulting
from the change; or
''(ii) an amount not to exceed $2,000; or
''(C) for relief under both subparagraphs (A) and
(B).
''(2) Increased award.--If the court finds that the
defendant executed the change in willful and knowing violation
of the procedures prescribed under subsection (a), the court
may, in its discretion, increase the amount of the award under
paragraph (1) to an amount equal to not more than three times
the maximum amount awardable under subparagraph (B) of that
paragraph.
''(e) Actions by States.--
''(1) Authority of states.--Whenever the attorney general
of a State, or an official or agency designated by a State, has
reason to believe that any person has engaged or is engaging in
a pattern or practice of unauthorized changes in providers of
telephone exchange service or telephone toll service of
residents in such State in violation of the procedures
prescribed under subsection (a), the State may bring a civil
action on behalf of its residents to enjoin such practices, to
recover damages equal to the actual monetary loss suffered by
such residents, or both. If the court finds the defendant
executed such changes in willful and knowing violation of such
procedures, the court may, in its discretion, increase the
amount of the award to an amount equal to not more than three
times the amount awardable under the preceding sentence.
''(2) Exclusive jurisdiction of federal courts.--The
district courts of the United States shall have exclusive
jurisdiction over all civil actions brought under this
subsection. Upon proper application, such courts shall also
have jurisdiction to award declaratory relief, or orders
affording like relief, commanding the defendant to comply with
the procedures prescribed under subsection (a). Upon a proper
showing, a permanent or temporary injunction or restraining
order shall be granted without bond.
''(3) Notice to commission.--A State shall serve prior
written notice of any civil action under this subsection upon
the Commission with a copy of its complaint, except in any case
where prior notice is not feasible, in which case the State
shall serve such notice immediately after instituting such
action.
''(4) Rights of commission.--Upon receiving notice of an
action under this subsection, the Commission shall have the
right--
''(A) to intervene in the action;
''(B) upon so intervening, to be heard on all such
matters arising therein; and
''(C) to file petitions for appeal.
''(5) Venue; service of process.--Any civil action under
this subsection may be brought in the district wherein the
defendant is found or is an inhabitant or transacts business or
wherein the violation occurred or is occurring, and process in
such cases may be served in any district in which the defendant
is an inhabitant or where the defendant may be found.
''(6) Effect on state court proceedings.--Nothing contained
in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit an authorized
State official from proceeding in State court on the basis of
an alleged violation of any general civil or criminal statute
of such State.
''(f) Class Actions.--For any class action brought with respect to
the violation of the procedures prescribed under subsection (a), the
total damages awarded may not exceed an amount equal to three times the
total actual damages suffered by the members of the class, irrespective
of the minimum damages provided for in subsection (d).
''(g) No Preemption of State Law.--Nothing in this section shall
preempt the availability of relief under State law for unauthorized
changes of providers of intrastate telephone exchange service or
telephone toll service.''.
Slamming Protection Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prescribe criminal penalties for the willful and unlawful execution of changes in a subscriber's selection of a telephone exchange or toll service provider.
Authorizes affected subscribers to bring actions for an order to revoke the change and for the award of damages. Permits States to bring civil actions on behalf of residents to enjoin unlawful change practices and to recover damages equal to the actual monetary loss suffered by such residents. Authorizes the court to increase damage awards by up to three times the maximum allowable award for willful and knowing violations.
Grants U.S. district courts exclusive jurisdiction over such civil actions. Provides for declaratory and injunctive relief with respect to such actions. Grants the Federal Communications Commission the right to intervene in actions.
Limits total damages awarded in class actions brought under this Act to three times the total actual damages suffered by members of the class.