ASSEMBLY PASSES MILAM/GREENSTEIN BILL URGING FCC TO NOT WEAKEN STATE'S 'DO NOT CALL' LAW

ASSEMBLY PASSES MILAM/GREENSTEIN BILL URGING FCC TO NOT WEAKEN STATE'S 'DO NOT CALL' LAW

(TRENTON) - The Assembly today passed legislation Assembly members Matthew W. Milam and Linda Greenstein sponsored to urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) not to weaken New Jersey's "Do Not Call" telemarketing law.

The measure (AR-88) calls on the FCC to dismiss a petition by telemarketers asking for an exception to the law in the case of residents with whom they have done business in the past 18 months, even if the residents are on the state's "no telemarketing call" list.

"By approving the petition, the FCC would be denying residents the right to privacy and protection from a bombardment of sales calls," said Milam (D-Cumberland). "The FCC must deny efforts by telemarketers to sneak in through the back door to reach consumers with intrusive calls they have clearly indicated they do not want."

"The public has demonstrated in overwhelming numbers that they do not want telemarketers bothering them at all hours," said Greenstein (D-Middlesex/Mercer). "We do not want to only partly protect residents from unwanted phone calls. By bending to the will of telemarketers, the FCC would be turning a cold shoulder to the will of millions of New Jersey residents who have put their names on the do-not-call-list."

Assemblywoman Greenstein was sponsor of New Jersey's "Do Not Call" law - widely regarded as the toughest anti-telemarketing legislation in the nation.
More than 2.8 million state residents have registered their phone numbers with the "Do Not Call" list.

The registry prohibits telemarketers from calling phone numbers on the list. Companies face fines of up to $11,000 for each violation.

The national registry of individuals who have signed up on the federal government's do-not-call list has grown to approximately 150 million phone numbers.

The Assembly passed the measure with a vote of 79 to 0 with 0 abstentions. The measure will be filed with the Secretary of State, with authenticated copies sent to the Chairman and members of the FCC.

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