TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis highlighted his support of proposed legislation to curb the epidemic of unsolicited telemarketing phone calls that plague the phone lines of Floridians on a daily basis. While some telemarketing tactics are legitimate, the practice is often associated with fraudulent activity, scams, and identity theft. The proposed legislation for the 2021 Legislative Session is sponsored by Senator Joe Gruters (SB 1682) and Representative Mike Beltran (HB 1307).

CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “As your CFO, I’ve made it my mission to crack down on fraud throughout Florida. Unsolicited telemarketing calls have become an epidemic in our state, opening the door for consumers to fall victim to scams and identity theft. That is why I’m proud to support legislation this year to empower Floridians to fight back against unwanted calls and end the practice of incessant telemarketer solicitation without the consent of the consumer. This legislation also aims to protect consumers by solving a private market problem without further growing government. Thank you to Senator Joe Gruters and Representative Mike Beltran for filing this important legislation to protect Floridians, and I look forward to working together to see these protections through.”

Senator Joe Gruters said, “I am honored to sponsor SB 1682 to ensure Floridians are protected against unsolicited telemarketers. While Florida continues to face a fraud epidemic, this is another way we can do our part by protecting Floridians from scams. I look forward to passing this important bill into law.”

Representative Mike Beltran said, “We must do everything we can to protect Floridians from fraud and scams, and this legislation will help put an end to unsolicited telemarketing. Thank you to CFO Patronis for your support of HB 1307 and making this issue a priority.”