The TSA defines "telephone solicitation" as the unsolicited initiation of a telephone call by a commercial or nonprofit company or organization to a person and conversation for the purpose of encouraging the person to purchase property, goods, or services or soliciting donations of money, property, goods, or services.

"Telephone solicitation" does not include

• calls made in response to a request or inquiry by the called party; 
• calls made by a not-for-profit organization to its own list of bona fide or active members of the organization; 
• calls limited to polling or soliciting the expression of ideas, opinions, or votes; or 
• business-to-business contacts.

 The CTSRA defines "commercial telephone solicitation" as:

• an unsolicited telephone call to a person initiated by a salesperson and conversation for the purpose of inducing the person to purchase or invest in property, goods, or services;
• other communication with a person where:  (1) a free gift, award, or prize is offered to a purchaser who has not previously purchased from the person initiating the communication; (2) a telephone call response is invited; and (3) the salesperson intends to complete a sale or enter into an agreement to purchase during the course of the telephone call; or
• other communication with a person which misrepresents the price, quality, or availability of property, goods, or services and which invites a response by telephone or which is followed by a call to the person by a salesperson.

"Commercial telephone solicitor" means any person who engages in commercial telephone solicitation, including service bureaus.

However, many specific industries and activities are exempted by the CTSRA, such as isolated solicitations; calls by charities and collection agencies; and the sale of certain products, like cable television, fish, etc.  One specific exemption is for people engaging in commercial telephone solicitation where less than 60 percent of such person's prior year's sales are as a result of the commercial telephone solicitation. 

An "automatic dialing and announcing device" is a device which automatically dials telephone numbers and plays a recorded message once a connection is made.

"Commercial solicitation" is the unsolicited initiation of a telephone conversation for the purpose of encouraging a person to purchase property, goods, or services.

There are time restrictions and regulations around identification requirements, and when a recipient of the solicitation must be removed from call lists, but there is no prohibition on telephone solicitations. 

There are time restrictions and regulations around identification requirements, and when a recipient of the solicitation must be removed from call lists, but there is no prohibition on commercial telephone solicitations.

A person may not use an automatic dialing and announcing device for purposes of commercial solicitation intended to be received by telephone customers within Washington.

Violations of the call time restrictions or identification and opt-out, call termination, or list removal requirements are subject to a $1,000 fine for each violation under the TSA.

A civil penalty of $500 to $2,000 shall be imposed by the court for each violation.

Damages to the recipient of commercial solicitations made using an automatic dialing and announcing device are presumed to be $500.

Individuals subject to repeated violations may bring a civil action to enjoin violations and recover damages, including at least $100 per violation.  A prevailing plaintiff is entitled to attorney's fees and costs.

A person who is injured by a violation may bring an action for recovery of actual damages, attorney's fees, and costs.

A violation is an unfair or deceptive act in trade or commerce for the purposes of the Consumer Protection Act.

A violation is a violation of the Consumer Protection Act.