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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Michael McGeehan |
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Committee sends McGeehan robo-calls bill to full House for a vote
HARRISBURG, Jan. 30 – The House State Government Committee today voted nearly unanimously to send to the full House a bill sponsored by Rep. Mike McGeehan, D-Phila., that would save Pennsylvania consumers from having to deal with unwanted automated telephone calls from political candidates, often referred to as "robo-calls."
The key component of the amended legislation (H.B. 295) would expand the state’s “Do Not Call” law to include automated political messages. Do Not Call empowers consumers to add their telephone numbers to a list that commercial telemarketers are prohibited from calling.
McGeehan said that he expects the bill to be amended on the House floor.
“The intent of the legislation is to make the individual the ultimate voice in whether to accept robo-calls,” said McGeehan.
McGeehan said that Rep. Carl Mantz, R-Lehigh/Berks, has told him he’d like to amend the bill to extend the Do Not Call opt-out for robo-calls to commercial phone customers as well.
“I certainly have no objection to that,” McGeehan said. “It would especially be a beneficial option for small operations that don’t have the time or staff to deal with repeated calls that have nothing to do with business.
“My legislation and similar bills in the House and Senate to fight robo-calls have gained a great deal of bipartisan momentum in the last couple weeks, probably because of the awareness brought on by the presidential primary races. I hope we can convert that momentum on opt-out for robo-calls in time to have it in effect for the fall elections.”
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CONTACT: Jay Purdy |