As banks seek to contact customers with COVID-19-related information, the American Bankers Association asked the Federal Communications Commission on Friday to provide immediate relief confirming that financial institutions’ COVID-19-related calls are exempt from the Telephone Consumer Protection Act’s requirements. The request comes after the FCC provided 45 days for parties to submit comments on a joint petition filed March 30 by ABA and six financial trade groups requesting an expedited declaratory ruling or waiver confirming the exempt status of these calls.
“Under the existing comment deadlines, reply comments may be submitted up to May 21—nearly six weeks from today,” ABA said. “Financial institutions seek to place COVID-19-related informational calls to their customers now, not in six (or more) weeks.” ABA noted that a wide range of industry stakeholders agree that the FCC should act on the petition without delay.
