Georgia U.S. Senate Candidate Buckley Proposes New Law To Protect Consumers Against Abuse By TV, Phone and Internet Providers

    ATLANTA, GA, September 16, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Allen Buckley, a fiscal conservative independent candidate in the special election race for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Kelly Loeffler, has drafted a bill titled "The Consumer Protection Act of 2020." The bill expands consumer protection to prevent abuse by large companies that provide services to households such as internet, phone and TV. It provides recovery for time spent dealing with an abuse if the total time spent exceeds one hour, at a net rate of $45 per hour. After 2021, the $45 rate would be increased for inflation.

After being promised a certain rate for phone, internet and satellite TV several times but being billed much more, Buckley took AT&T to arbitration in 2017. The matter settled. In the process, Buckley learned the reasons why people are largely helpless when dealing with large companies such as AT&T. Buckley believes the problem lies in the fact that these companies place no class action provisions in their contracts—that the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld, and thus require disputes to be resolved via arbitration. For many, the costs of filing arbitration make that remedy nonexistent. The companies know they can promise things and then not live up to their promises, bill for services not requested, and make terminating service very difficult.

Problems experienced by consumers include overcharging and excessive billing, providing services that were not requested, making termination very difficult and charging of late fees with respect to overbillings not paid.

Buckley said: "I took AT&T to arbitration in 2017, in connection with charges greatly in excess of what I was told I would be charged. The Consumer Protection Act of 2020 would address these problems by making the companies that commit such practices pay consumers hourly charges of $45 per hour for any time spent in dealing with such a matter, if total time exceeds one hour."

Buckley's "Save Tomorrow" campaign is about living for today and tomorrow, instead of living for today to the detriment of tomorrow. The focus is on doing things to make tomorrow as good as or even better than today, by acting now to address the nation's financial challenges and confronting global warming in a practical way

Mr. Buckley can be reached for comment at (404) 610-1936. Mr. Buckley's campaign website is www.buckleyforsenate.org.

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