SACRAMENTO —Victims of domestic violence will soon be able to gain full control of the wireless telephone accounts they share with their abusers. Thursday, Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 1407 by Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins, which allows telephone service providers to transfer conjoined accounts or family plans away from those who commit domestic violence.
Current law provides no mechanism for victims of domestic violence to alter a shared wireless telephone contract when the abuser or the other party is the primary accountholder. This is especially critical as advances in wireless technology now allow abusers to monitor their victims’ call records, sensitive financial information stored in applications, and even physical whereabouts based on GPS location software.
“Victims of domestic violence must be able to use their wireless devices for their safety and to have access to emotional, financial and legal support,” said Speaker Atkins (D-San Diego). “With AB 1407, California will give judges and service providers the power to help individuals maintain a lifeline to life-saving resources. I thank Governor Brown for signing this important bill into law.”
AB 1407 would authorize a family-law court to issue an order requiring a wireless telephone service provider to transfer the billing responsibility for, and the rights to, a telephone number or numbers to the petitioner.
This bill would also provide immunity to a wireless telephone service provider, its officers, employees or agents for transferring the billing responsibility and rights to a wireless telephone number or numbers based on a court order.
AB 1407 is supported by the Women Escaping A Violent Environment (WEAVE), Legal Aid Society of San Diego, California Public Defenders Association (CPDA), the Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon.
