The Alabama Legislature has given final approval to a bill aimed at protecting voter privacy while maintaining access to election data, according to a news release from the Secretary of State’s Office.

House Bill 67, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellville, would remove phone numbers from the state’s publicly available voter list, a move designed to curb unwanted telemarketing and spam calls. Under current law, voter phone numbers can be purchased as part of the statewide voter file.

By eliminating the automatic inclusion of phone numbers, the legislation targets what officials describe as a common pathway for professional spammers to obtain contact information for Alabama residents.

The bill also places a cap on the cost of obtaining the statewide voter list, a change intended to make the data more accessible to candidates, campaigns and organizations that rely on voter information for legitimate purposes.

“Any step we can take to limit access to our personal phone numbers is a win for Alabama voters,” Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said in the release. “HB 67 will help reduce unwanted telemarketing and spam calls across our state while ensuring voter data remains accessible and affordable for valid, lawful use.”

Allen credited Kiel for sponsoring the measure and Sen. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, for guiding it through the Senate.

“I want to thank Representative Kiel for his hard work on this legislation and Senator Woods for pushing this bill through the Senate,” Allen said. “I am proud to see the Alabama Legislature’s dedication to protecting the privacy interests of Alabama voters, while also maintaining transparency and appropriate access to voter data, and look forward to this legislation being signed into Alabama law.”