In Florida’s 2026 legislative session, both chambers will consider bills that would impose strict requirements for caller identification on businesses. The bills target both telecommunications companies and the callers. While the legislation is presumably meant to target telephone scams and robocalls, its broad blocking mandates and authentication requirements would impact any company that places calls or sends texts to Florida consumers — from debt collectors and healthcare providers to retailers and financial services companies.
SB 1516 and HB 1299 would prohibit any individual from causing a caller ID service to “transmit misleading or inaccurate caller identification information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value.” As currently written, the bills do not appear to create an express private right of action, and the primary enforcement mechanism may be regulatory or governmental. That said, given the highly active litigation landscape in this area, plaintiffs may attempt to repackage alleged violations as “unfair or deceptive” conduct and pursue them indirectly under statutes such as the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, even if the bills themselves do not provide a standalone private claim.
The bills contain only two express exemptions: (1) for law enforcement agencies and (2) for transmissions done pursuant to a court order expressly allowing manipulation of caller ID information. It also authorizes the Florida Public Service Commission to enact exemptions “as it deems appropriate.” Companies may observe that there are currently no carve-outs for established business relationships, prior express consent, or other factors distinguishing legitimate business calls from fraudulent schemes.
The legislation also contains provisions targeted at telecommunications providers. It would require providers to transmit the correct phone number and location for each call, and block all calls and text messages that contain “manipulated” caller identification information. Additionally, the bills require telecommunication providers to implement the STIR/SHAKEN framework or a technology with comparable ability to authenticate caller ID information.
As written, the law does not clearly distinguish between intentional spoofing of identification (used by fraudsters and robo-callers) and legitimate business practices that display different callback numbers. Notably, multi-location businesses often show a single customer service number regardless of where the caller is physically located. Companies using cloud-based systems or third-party dialers may have technical originating numbers that differ from their business lines. Under the broadest reading of the new law, such practices may require blocking by carriers and be the basis of consumer lawsuits.
If passed, the law would go into effect on October 1, 2026, leaving companies a relatively short time to ensure compliance with the new caller ID requirements. Businesses that make calls to Florida numbers should evaluate whether their current calling practices may lead to any problems with the new requirements:
- Do you display a single corporate number across multiple locations?
- Do you use a cloud-based phone system to place calls?
- Do you work with third-party dialers or call center vendors?
If enacted, the new requirements would go into effect on October 1 of this year. Companies that engage in any calling or text messaging with Florida consumers should be monitoring the legislation and considering ways to ensure their outgoing calls can continue without risk of blocking or litigation.
