Legislation opposed by the Insights Association that would have prohibited most marketing research calls to Californians (at their residential, business or cell phone lines) has been defeated in the state legislature.
California A.B. 3007, sponsored by Assemblymember Ed Chau (D-49) would have somewhat replicated the crippling 2015 Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) regulations at the state level in California. It would have expanded the definition of an automatic dialingannouncing device to include almost any call/text made by potentially any device, to any kind of phone line (not just a mobile phone) such that they would require registration of the device and prior express consent for any of those calls/texts.
Although the sponsor assuaged telecom providers by removing original unworkable provisions requiring call blocking and authentication, he could not come to agreement with IA and our California Chamber of Commerce coalition allies after meetings with us, and after we met with a dozen other Assemblymembers and their staff on the Assembly Appropriations Committee. While we opposed the bill, we were all working on potential amendments we hoped would mitigate our concerns with A.B. 3007.
IA also joined coalition letters in opposition to A.B. 3007 on May 1 and May 15.
On June 2, 2020, Lorena Gonzalez, chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, announced that the sponsor of A.B. 3007 had pulled his legislation from consideration and that the bill would not be considered for the rest of the year. To put a cap on it, and partially in tribute to our advocacy, she said that the bill "is no longer in existence."
About the Author
Based in Washington, DC, Howard is the Insights Association's lobbyist for the marketing research and data analytics industry, focusing primarily on consumer privacy and data security, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), tort reform, and the funding and integrity of the decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS).
Howard has more than two decades of public policy experience. Before the Insights Association, he worked in Congress as senior legislative staffer for then-Representatives Christopher Cox (CA-48) and Cliff Stearns (FL-06). He also served more than four years with a science policy think tank, working to improve the understanding of scientific and social research and methodology among journalists and policymakers.
Howard is also co-director of The Census Project, a 900+ member coalition in support of a fair and accurate Census and ACS.
He has also served previously on the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics and and the Association of Government Relations Professionals.
Howard has an MA International Relations from the University of Essex in England and a BA Honors Political Studies from Trent University in Canada, and has obtained the Certified Association Executive (CAE), Professional Lobbying Certificate (PLC) and the Public Policy Certificate (PPC).
When not running advocacy for the Insights Association, Howard enjoys hockey, NFL football, sci-fi and horror movies, playing with his dog, and spending time with family and friends.