AUGUSTA — The Legislature approved a bill Wednesday that would require telephone utilities to provide customers with services to reduce the volume of calls received from automated telephone calling devices, also known as spam calls or robocalls.

Representative Jan Dodge, D-Belfast, submitted LD 511 after learning the TRACED Act, passed by Congress in 2019, required the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ensure the availability of services to block robocalls but did not require all telephone providers to provide those services to their customers.

Dodge’s bill provides that companies must inform customers of the service to block robocalls and provide it at a reasonable charge.

Dodge personally observed an instant reduction in robocalls after calling her own phone provider and asking if they had the technology to reduce or eliminate unwanted calls, and she was able to receive this service at no cost.

Other customers may be able to receive this service without additional charges as well, according to a news release. 

"I have yet to encounter one constituent, one Mainer, who enjoys receiving the never-ending robocalls," said Dodge. "I submitted this bill to ensure that Mainers do not have to make the inquiry I did and are simply provided with the information needed to reduce unwanted spam calls. I am thrilled to have the Legislature's support."

The bill will now go to the Governor's desk for her signature.

Dodge is serving her second term in the Maine House and sits on the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee. She represents the towns of Belfast, Northport and Waldo.