Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Technology, Telecommunications & Energy Committee

HB 1402

Brief Description:  Creating a telephone solicitation no sales call list.

Sponsors:  Representatives Pflug, Romero (co‑prime sponsor), Cairnes, Anderson, Jarrett, Boldt, Campbell, Doumit, Morris, Hatfield, Linville, Kagi, Grant, Haigh, Conway, Keiser, Bush, Lisk, Esser and Rockefeller.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Directs the Utilities and Transportation Commission to establish and maintain a no sales call list.

$No commercial telephone solicitor may call an individual at a number registered on the no call list.

Hearing Date:  2/16/01

Staff:  Pam Madson (786‑7166).

Background: 

Commercial telephone solicitors must register with the Department of Licensing and must comply with the Commercial Telephone Solicitation Act.

Upon receiving an unsolicited commercial sales call, the person receiving the call may ask to be removed from the calling list used by the telephone solicitor and the solicitor may not make any further commercial solicitation calls to the person at that number for one year.  The commercial telephone solicitor may not sell or give the number to another company or organization. 

The Federal Communications Commission rules require that telephone solicitors calling residential numbers keep a record of individuals who do not wish to receive any further calls.  That record must be maintained for 10 years.

Summary of Bill: 

The Utilities and Transportation Commission must establish and maintain a no sales call list.  Residents may register for placement on the list.  The list must be updated monthly.  The commission may contract with a third party to maintain the list.

The commission may not charge residents for registering and the list must be made available without charge to commercial telephone solicitors.

The commission must notify residents that it may take up to 120 days before they experience a reduction in commercial solicitation calls.

No commercial telephone solicitor or salesperson may make unsolicited telephone calls to a residential, mobile, or telephone pager number appearing on the no sales call list.  A violation of this provision could subject the violator to civil and criminal penalties.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  This bill will not take effect unless it is specifically funded in the omnibus appropriations act.