Mah Passes Law Requiring Bilingual Notifications of Landline Cancellations

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, recently passed a law that ensures telephone companies provide notifications about proposed cancellation of landlines in Spanish and English.

“A language barrier shouldn’t prohibit consumers from understanding the changes to their phone service,” Mah said. “This proposal will protect Spanish speaking residents from losing their home landline without receiving prior notification and it will give them instructions to appeal the cancellation of their landline.”

Under a new law passed last year, if a large phone company proposes to discontinue landline service, the company must provide a written notice to any consumer affected by the discontinuation of their landline.  Additionally, the written notice must list information that will allow consumers to appeal the process. The notice will list a phone number to contact a customer service representative, a phone number to contact the Illinois Commerce Commission, and instructions describing how to request that the landline service not be cut off.

Rep. Mah’s Senate Bill 2908 will protect Spanish speaking communities by expanding on previous legislation and requiring all notifications be sent in both English and Spanish.

“The law that we passed last year overlooked the potential hardship that could be placed on the many residents in Illinois who have Spanish as their primary language,” Mah said. “I strongly urge Governor Rauner to stand with our state’s Spanish speakers and sign this bipartisan legislation.”

Mah’s legislation passed the House and the Senate with bipartisan support and is currently awaiting signature by the Governor.