March 19, 2008

Republicans seek to end "robocalls"

Legislators want ban on political �robocalls�

March 18, 2008

BY ANDRE SALLES asalles@scn1.com

GENEVA � Three Illinois House Republicans today announced new legislation that would ban unsolicited, pre-recorded calls within the state.

The legislation comes in response to complaints from residents who were inundated with such �robocalls� during the 14th Congressional District�s special election earlier this month.<.p>

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� Online: Read the House Bill

Reps. Tom Cross of Oswego, Tim Schmitz of Batavia and Ruth Munson of Elgin presented their plan in a press conference at the Kane County Government Center in Geneva.

The legislators cited the complaints they received from constituents after the congressional campaigns for both Democrat Bill Foster and Republican Jim Oberweis used �robocalls� to get their messages out to thousands of people at once� sometimes up to six calls in a single day.

�I heard from a growing number of frustrated people demanding that I do something about this,� Munson said.

The bill, if it passes, would include several exceptions for emergency situations. For example, school districts would still be allowed to send �phone blasts� for cancellations. And Schmitz said that the bill includes a clause that gets around First Amendment concerns � automated messages can still be played, but only after a live caller gets permission first.

Violators of the law could face up to $50,000 in civil penalties, and would be open to lawsuits from call recipients. Ten other states have similar laws, and courts in Indiana and North Dakota have upheld their bans in court.

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