Bill gives domestic violence victims control of cellphone

Victims of domestic violence could have their wireless telephone service providers transfer their accounts from their abusers under a bill sent to the governor.

Assembly Bill 1407 by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, would authorize family-law courts to issue orders requiring wireless telephone service providers to transfer the billing responsibility and telephone number to the victim.

“Allowing victims to use their wireless phones is important to their safety and for emotional support,” Atkins said in a statement. “This bill lets judges and service providers help individuals who’ve endured particularly difficult situations maintain a lifeline to life-saving resources and their support network.”

The bill also would provide immunity to a wireless telephone service provider, its officers, employees or agents for transferring the cellphone number and billing authority.

Current law provides no mechanism for victims of domestic violence to alter a shared family plan wireless telephone contract when the abuser or the another party is the primary account holder and refuses to release the number.

Atkins’ office said the change is critical as advances in wireless technology now allow abusers to monitor their victims’ call records and sometimes their physical location using GPS-based location software.

The measure was sent to Gov. Jerry Brown on a 78-0 Assembly vote on Monday.

AB 1407 is supported by the Women Escaping A Violent Environment (WEAVE), AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Legal Aid Society of San Diego, California Public Defenders Association and the Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association.