State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_HB0176eng

 
HB0176 Engrossed                              LRB9201785RCcdA

 1        AN ACT concerning telephone solicitation.

 2        Be it  enacted  by  the  People  of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section 1. Short title. This Act  may  be  cited  as  the
 5    No-Call Database Act.

 6        Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
 7        (a)  "Residential  subscriber"  means  a person or spouse
 8    who has subscribed to residential telephone  service  from  a
 9    local  exchange  company,  a  guardian  of  the person, or an
10    individual who has power of attorney from  or  an  authorized
11    agent of the person;
12        (b)  "Established   business   relationship"   means  the
13    existence of  an  oral  or  written  arrangement,  agreement,
14    contract,  or  other  such  legal  state of affairs between a
15    person or entity and an existing customer where both  parties
16    have  a  course of conduct or established pattern of activity
17    for commercial or mercantile purposes and for the benefit  or
18    profit  of  both  parties.   A  pattern  of activity does not
19    necessarily mean multiple previous contacts.  The established
20    business  relationship  must  exist  between   the   existing
21    customer  and  the  person  or  entity directly, and does not
22    extend to any  related  business  entity  or  other  business
23    organization of the person or entity or related to the person
24    or  entity  or the person or entity's agent including but not
25    limited to  a  parent  corporation,  subsidiary  partnership,
26    company or other corporation or affiliate;
27        (c)  "Existing  customer"  means  an  individual  who has
28    either:
29             (1)  entered   into   a   transaction,    agreement,
30        contract,  or other such legal state of affairs between a
31        person or entity and a residential subscriber  where  the
 
HB0176 Engrossed            -2-               LRB9201785RCcdA
 1        payment  or  exchange  of  consideration for any goods or
 2        services has taken place within the preceding 18  months,
 3        or has been previously arranged to take place at a future
 4        time; or
 5             (2)  opened  or maintained a debit account, a credit
 6        card account or other such revolving credit  or  discount
 7        program  offered  by  the  person  or  entity and has not
 8        requested the person or entity to close such  account  or
 9        terminate such program;
10        (d)  "Telephone    solicitation"    means    any    voice
11    communication  over  a  telephone  line  from a live operator
12    through the use of ADAD equipment or by other means  for  the
13    purpose   of  encouraging  the  purchase  or  rental  of,  or
14    investment in property, goods,  or  services,  but  does  not
15    include communications:
16             (1)  To   any   residential   subscriber  with  that
17        subscriber's prior express invitation or permission  when
18        a  voluntary  2-way  communication  between  a  person or
19        entity and the residential subscriber has  occurred  with
20        or without an exchange of consideration;
21             (2)  By  or  on  behalf of any person or entity with
22        whom a residential subscriber has an established business
23        relationship, which has not  been  terminated  by  either
24        party in writing;
25             (3)  By  or  on  behalf of any person or entity with
26        whom a residential subscriber is  an  existing  customer,
27        unless the customer has stated to the person or entity or
28        the  person  or  entity's  agent that he or she no longer
29        wishes to receive the telemarketing sales calls  of  such
30        person or entity;
31             (4)  By  or  on  behalf of an entity organized under
32        Section 501(c)(3) of the United States  Internal  Revenue
33        Code,  while  the  entity  is  engaged  in fundraising to
34        support the charitable purpose for which the  entity  was
 
HB0176 Engrossed            -3-               LRB9201785RCcdA
 1        established;
 2             (5)  By  or  on  behalf  of  any entity over which a
 3        federal or State agency has regulatory authority  to  the
 4        extent  that  subject  to  that  authority, the entity is
 5        required to maintain a license, permit, or certificate to
 6        sell or provide  telecommunications  services  while  the
 7        entity  is  engaged  in  telephone  solicitation for long
 8        distance   telecommunications   services   and/or   local
 9        telecommunications services until such time as all  local
10        exchange telecommunications services are determined to be
11        competitive  in  all  areas  of the State by the Illinois
12        Commerce Commission; and
13             (6)  By or on behalf of a  person  licensed  by  the
14        State  of  Illinois  to  carry out a trade, occupation or
15        profession, who either:
16                  (A)  is setting or attempting to set a face  to
17             face   appointment  for  actions  relating  to  that
18             licensed trade, occupation or profession within  the
19             state, or
20                  (B)  Is  encouraging or attempting to encourage
21             the  purchase  or  rental  of,  or   investment   in
22             property,   goods,  or  services,  which  cannot  be
23             completed, and payment or authorization  of  payment
24             is not required, until after a written or electronic
25             agreement is signed by the residential subscriber.

26        Section  10.  Complaints.  The Office of the Secretary of
27    State shall receive telephone  solicitation  complaints  from
28    residential  subscribers who have registered with that Office
29    to object to such calls.  Complaints shall be  taken  by  any
30    means   deemed   appropriate   by  the  Secretary  of  State.
31    Complaints against entities that are licensed,  certificated,
32    or  permitted by a State or federal agency shall be forwarded
33    for investigation by the Office of the Secretary of State  to
 
HB0176 Engrossed            -4-               LRB9201785RCcdA
 1    the  appropriate  agency  provided that the respective agency
 2    maintains investigative powers in such  matters.   All  other
 3    complaints  shall  be  investigated  by  the  Office  of  the
 4    Secretary  of  State.   The  standards for such referrals and
 5    investigations shall be determined by  rules  established  by
 6    the Office of the Secretary of State.

 7        Section 15. Telephone solicitation.  Beginning January 1,
 8    2003,  no person or entity shall make or cause to be made any
 9    telephone  solicitation  to  the  telephone   line   of   any
10    residential  subscriber in this State who has given notice to
11    the Secretary of State,  in  accordance  with  rules  adopted
12    under  this  Act,  of the subscriber's objection to receiving
13    telephone solicitations.

14        Section 20. Database.
15        (a)  The Secretary of State shall establish  and  provide
16    for  the  operation  of  a  database  to  compile  a  list of
17    telephone numbers of residential subscribers  who  object  to
18    receiving  telephone  solicitations.   The Secretary of State
19    may enter  into  a  contract  with  a  third  party  for  the
20    operation   of  the  database.   The  database  shall  be  in
21    operation no later than January 1, 2003.
22        (b)  No later than July 1, 2002, the Secretary  of  State
23    shall  adopt  rules  consistent  with  this Act governing the
24    establishment of a State no-call database the Secretary deems
25    necessary and appropriate to fully implement this  Act.   The
26    rules  shall  include,  at  a  minimum,  methods by which any
27    person or entity desiring  to  make  telephone  solicitations
28    will  obtain  access  to  the  database  as required to avoid
29    calling the  telephone  numbers  of  residential  subscribers
30    included in the database.
31        (c)  The  fee  for persons or entities obtaining the list
32    shall be determined by rules established by the Office of the
 
HB0176 Engrossed            -5-               LRB9201785RCcdA
 1    Secretary of State, not to exceed $200 annually.  All  copies
 2    requested  in  paper form shall be assessed a per page fee to
 3    be determined by rules  established  by  the  Office  of  the
 4    Secretary of State.
 5        (d)  The  Secretary  shall  update  the database and make
 6    information within the  database  available  on  a  quarterly
 7    basis in a manner deemed appropriate by the Secretary, but at
 8    least electronically.
 9        (e)  Entities  shall  have  60-days  from  the  quarterly
10    update of the database to comply with Section 15 of this Act.
11        (f)  If  the Federal Communications Commission or Federal
12    Trade Commission establishes a single  national  database  of
13    telephone  numbers  of  subscribers  who  object to receiving
14    telephone  solicitations  under  Title  47  U.S.C.,   Section
15    227(c)(3),    Illinois   shall   discontinue   the   database
16    established under this Act.
17        (g)  Information contained in  the  database  established
18    under   this  Section  shall  be  confidential  and  afforded
19    reasonable privacy protection except  as  necessary  for  the
20    purpose  of  compliance with Section 15, 25, and this Section
21    or  in  a  proceeding  or  action  under  Section   30.   The
22    information  is  not  a  public  record  under the Freedom of
23    Information Act.
24        (h)  The Secretary of  State  shall  periodically  obtain
25    subscription  listings  of  residential  subscribers  in this
26    State who have  arranged  to  be  included  in  any  national
27    do-not-call list and add those names to the State do-not-call
28    list.

29        Section 25.  Enrollment.
30        (a)  The  Secretary  of  State shall establish any method
31    deemed appropriate for residential subscribers to notify  the
32    Secretary  of State that the residential subscriber wishes to
33    be included in the database.
 
HB0176 Engrossed            -6-               LRB9201785RCcdA
 1        (b)  There shall be no cost to the subscriber for joining
 2    the database.
 3        (c)  Any residential subscriber who wishes to be  removed
 4    from  the  database  may  contact  the  Secretary of State in
 5    writing.
 6        (d)  Enrollment in the database shall be  effective  from
 7    the start of the quarter following the date of enrollment for
 8    a  term  of  5  years  or  until  the  residential subscriber
 9    disconnects or changes his or her telephone number, whichever
10    occurs  first.    The   residential   subscriber   shall   be
11    responsible  for  notifying  the  Secretary  of  State of any
12    changes in his or her telephone number.  The  Office  of  the
13    Secretary  of  State  shall  use  its  best efforts to notify
14    enrolled consumers prior to the end of the 5-year  enrollment
15    term  of the option to re-enroll.  Those consumers who do not
16    re-enroll prior to the  end  of  the  5-year  term  shall  be
17    removed from the database.

18        Section 30. Relief.
19        (a)  The  Secretary  of State may initiate administrative
20    proceedings pursuant to  rules  promulgated  under  this  Act
21    relating  to  a  knowing and willful violation of Section 15.
22    If it  is  determined  after  hearing  that  any  person  has
23    knowingly  and  willfully  violated one or more provisions of
24    this Section, the Secretary may assess a fine not  to  exceed
25    $2,500 for each violation.  Any proceeding conducted pursuant
26    to   this   Section   shall   be   subject  to  the  Illinois
27    Administrative Procedure Act.
28        (b)  It is a defense in any action or proceeding  brought
29    under  this  Section  that  the defendant has established and
30    implemented,  with  due  care,   reasonable   practices   and
31    procedures  to effectively prevent telephone solicitations in
32    violation of Section 15.
33        (c) No action or proceeding may  be  brought  under  this
 
HB0176 Engrossed            -7-               LRB9201785RCcdA
 1    Section:
 2             (1) More than one year after the person bringing the
 3        action knew or should have known of the occurrence of the
 4        alleged violation; or
 5             (2)  More than one year after the termination of any
 6        proceeding or action arising out of the same violation or
 7        violations by the State of Illinois, whichever is later.
 8        (d) The remedies, duties, prohibition, and  penalties  of
 9    this  Act  are not exclusive and are in addition to all other
10    causes of action, remedies, and penalties provided by law.
11        (e)  No  provider  of  telephone  caller   identification
12    service  shall  be  held  liable for violations of Section 15
13    committed by other persons or entities.
14        (f) There is created in the State treasury a special fund
15    to be known as the No-Call Database Fund. All fees and  fines
16    collected  in  the administration and enforcement of this Act
17    shall be deposited into the Fund. Moneys in the  Fund  shall,
18    subject  to  appropriation,  be  used  by  the  Office of the
19    Secretary of State for  implementation,  administration,  and
20    enforcement of this Act.

21        Section 35.  Public Notification.  The Secretary of State
22    shall  work  with local exchange telecommunications companies
23    to disseminate to their residential  subscribers  information
24    about  the  availability  of  and  instructions  about how to
25    request educational literature from the Secretary  of  State.
26    The  Secretary  of State may enter into agreements with those
27    companies for the purpose of dissemination of the educational
28    literature.  Telecommunications companies shall  be  required
29    to  disseminate  the  respective literature at least once per
30    year in the form of both a bill message and a notice  in  the
31    information  section  of all telephone directories circulated
32    to residential subscribers.  The  Secretary  of  State  shall
33    include  on  his  or  her  Internet web site information that
 
HB0176 Engrossed            -8-               LRB9201785RCcdA
 1    informs residential subscribers of their rights to be  placed
 2    on  a  no-call list and the various methods, including notice
 3    to the Secretary of State, of placing  their  names  on  this
 4    no-call  list.   The  Secretary  of  State  shall  have  this
 5    literature developed for dissemination to the public no later
 6    than January 1, 2002.

 7        Section  105.  The State Finance Act is amended by adding
 8    Section 5.545 as follows:

 9        (30 ILCS 105/5.545 new)
10        Sec. 5.545. No-Call Database Fund.

11        Section 999.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
12    becoming law.

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