Erpenbach Bill Adds Cell Phones, Small Businesses to ‘Do Not Call List’
End to Fax Spamming, Increased Penalties Part of Consumer Protection Plan
Madison – State Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) will relieve cell phone customers and small business owners of unwanted telemarketing calls under a bill which would expand the state’s “Do Not Call” list to include these consumers.
“There is nothing as intrusive as an unwanted telemarketing call,” said Erpenbach, the author bill creating the state’s original Do Not Call list. “Allowing cell phone customers and small business owners to avoid these calls is the next step we must take to protecting consumers and their privacy.”
Erpenbach’s bill (SB99) was coauthored by Senator Pat Kreitlow and Representatives Jennifer Shilling and Jeff Smith and enjoys the support of 19 Senators and 54 Representatives from both parties. The consumer protections in the bill include:
• Allowing consumers to add their cellular telephones to the state’s Do Not Call list;
• Allowing a small business to add a landline or a cellular telephone to the state’s Do Not Call list;
• Creating a full-time prohibition for unsolicited fax machines (current law permits unsolicited faxes from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m.);
• Placing enforcement authority for unsolicited fax machine communications under the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (current law gives District Attorneys enforcement responsibility); and
• Increasing the penalties for violations from the current maximum of $100 to amounts between $1,000 and $10,000.
Since Erpenbach’s original legislation went into place in January 2003, well over 1 million Wisconsin households have requested to be put on the list. With the explosion of cellular telephone use, Erpenbach said it was important to offer consumers additional protection.
“We have a bipartisan plan people support because it is a common sense solution,” said Erpenbach. “You should not have your cellular phone minutes eaten up by unwanted telemarketing calls and your business should not lose money wasting time with calls you do not want to receive.”
Erpenbach’s bill has been sent to the Senate Committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Workforce Development, Technical Colleges and Consumer Protection, where Erpenbach expects it will receive a timely hearing.
