Three States Mull Telemarketing Do-Not-Call Bills
Legislation establishing state-maintained telemarketing do-not-call lists has been introduced in Minnesota, Oklahoma and Washington State.
They would join 25 others already maintaining their own do-not-call lists if enacted, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
While the Minnesota bill (HB-2606) would put the state’s Department of Commerce in charge of maintaining the list, the Oklahoma measure (HB-2347) and the Washington legislation (HB-3435 and S-3276) would have the state’s attorney general or a private company hired by the office in charge of keeping the list.
The Minnesota bill would authorize the state commerce department to forward the names of the people on its do-not-call list to any national do-not-call database that may be created by the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, or both.
Earlier this month, the FTC proposed the development of a national telemarketing do-not-call list.
In an apparent response to the FTC’s proposal, the Direct Marketing Association created a teleservices ethics committee, which would “serve as an industry watchdog” while enforcing its telemarketing rules.
Residents of Minnesota and Oklahoma would not be charged a fee to be placed on their states’ do-not-call list. Washington residents could be charged up to $3 to be placed on the list.
While telemarketers would be required to buy copies of the state lists, which would be updated quarterly, those calling anyone on the list could face fines of up to $1,000 for each unlawful telephone call.
