Former FCC Commissioner, Wireless Group Oppose Michigan Robocall Crackdown

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2025 — Michigan lawmakers’ push to regulate robocalls has drawn warnings it could backfire.

Former Republican Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Michael O’Rielly and CTIA, the trade association for the U.S. wireless industry, opposed Michigan’s proposed Senate Bill 351. The measure would restrict the use of automated dialing systems and prerecorded messages for marketing or outreach without prior consent, allowing consumers to sue for violations and seek damages of up to $1,500 per call. He said the enforcement mechanism could “invite the same kind of shakedown lawsuits that often plague the federal system.”

Appearing before the Michigan Senate Finance, Insurance, and Consumer Protection Committee on Oct. 22, O’Rielly called the bill “a blueprint for litigation abuse.”