Blue Coyote: LV Legislators Continue Push to Ban Robocalls

During last Fall's municipal elections, many of us witnessed, firsthand, the destructive nature of anonymous robocalls. BethlehemDem and his wife have lived in Lehigh County for the past two years, but still got one over their dinner hour, instructing them NOT to vote for Peg Ferraro. In fact, Peg got a call herself, and was surprised to learn she voted to increase taxes a gazillion per cent. One of Peg's close friends, who has never even voted, was unable to persuade her she had been duped.

In December, three Lehigh Valley legislators - Rich Grucela, Joe Brennan and Craig Dally - became sponsors of legislation that flatly bans political robocalls. "Automated political calls – A person may not use automatic dialing equipment to make a telephone solicitation call on behalf of a political candidate or a political party." Brennan and Dally also signed onto a similar bill that deletes the political exemption from Do-not-call lists.

Blue Coyote reports that the state house government committee today has agreed, nearly unanimously, to send this bill to the full house. "It is expected that the bill will be amended on the House floor. The amendment may extend the Do Not Call opt-out for robo-calls to commercial phone customers as well."