Florida lawmakers advanced a bill Wednesday that would require phone companies to block calls and texts with falsified caller ID information. The proposal mandates that carriers implement caller authentication tools and imposes six-figure penalties for noncompliance. Supporters say the measure is intended to protect residents, particularly older Floridians, from impersonation scams.
What the bill would do
Under SB 1516, telecommunications companies would have to supply the telephone number and the location where each call starts, then block any call or text when the caller ID information has been manipulated and does not match that originating number or location. The bill also tells state regulators to require full implementation of the STIR/SHAKEN authentication framework, or an equivalent system, by July 1, 2027, and it exposes carriers to civil penalties of up to $250,000 for violations, according to the bill text on the Florida Senate.
Lawmakers and advocates push for action
Sen. Ileana Garcia (R-Miami), who is carrying the bill, told colleagues at the measure’s first committee stop that she wants the state out in front of what she called “very advanced” schemes that are slipping past current protections. Advocates are echoing that urgency. Karen Murillo of AARP Florida told Action News Jax that “the technology absolutely exists” to authenticate caller ID, warning that spoofed calls can easily be dressed up to look like they are coming from local numbers or official agencies.
Scams have gotten costlier for older adults
Federal figures underline the scope of the damage. Losses of more than $100,000 by older adults to impersonation scams jumped from $55 million in 2020 to $445 million in 2024, according to reporting by WPTV/Scripps News. On the ground in Jacksonville, residents told Action News Jax they are getting “dozens” of spam calls a day, with one person counting twelve in a single 24 hour stretch. Backers of SB 1516 say cutting off spoofed traffic higher up the chain could help keep those calls from turning into six figure losses.
Legal and industry implications
Industry and legal analysts caution that the bill’s broad blocking requirement could also snag legitimate business calling practices, such as multi location companies that use one customer service number, or organizations that route calls through cloud systems or third party dialers. Legal observers point out that the proposal carves out only narrow exemptions for law enforcement and court ordered manipulations, and recommend that businesses start reviewing their calling practices now, according to an analysis from JDSupra.
What comes next
The bill stays on the legislative track and must clear more committee stops before it gets a final vote. The filed measure sets an effective date of Oct. 1, 2026, and gives carriers until July 1, 2027, to have authentication technology in place, according to the Florida Senate’s filed text. Consumer groups and lawmakers say they plan to keep a close eye on how aggressively the industry moves to comply as the proposal works its way through the Capitol.
