AR SB342

Effective July 1, 2017, courts may order wireless telephone service providers to transfer billing responsibility and rights to wireless telephone numbers to petitioners in domestic abuse proceedings, allowing them to maintain existing numbers for themselves and minor children in their care.

Transfer orders must be separate orders directed to the wireless service provider and must include the accountholder's name and billing number, the petitioner's name and contact information, and each telephone number to be transferred.

Courts must protect petitioner contact information and not disclose it to the accountholder in domestic abuse proceedings.

Petitioners who receive transferred numbers assume financial responsibility for those numbers, including monthly service costs and costs for associated mobile devices, though wireless providers may still require routine account establishment requirements.

Wireless service providers and their officers, employees, assigns, and agents are immune from civil or criminal liability for complying with or failing to process transfer orders issued under this chapter.