To protect families across New York State from harassing telemarketer calls, Assemblymember Didi Barrett (D-Mid Hudson) sponsored legislation that passed the Assembly that would make sure all telemarketers sending calls into New York comply with state law (A.10569-A).

“We’ve all had to deal with those annoying, incessant calls from telemarketers,” Assemblymember Barrett said. “By regulating all telemarketers who do business in the state, and strengthening consumer protections to opt out, we can stop these pre-recorded telemarketing calls from harassing Mid-Hudson families."

This bill will prohibit telemarketers – regardless of where they are located – from delivering pre-recorded messages by telephone without the consent of the recipient. In addition, this measure will require outbound, pre-recorded sales calls to provide the recipient with a key-press or interactive voice response to be placed on the “do not call” list, as well as immediately disconnect the call. In the event of a voicemail, outbound sales calls will also have to deliver a message with a toll free number for recipients to call to have their names removed from the call list.

Under current law, all in-state telemarketers must abide by the “Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse and Prevention Act.” But telemarketing agencies registered, chartered, certified or licensed by another state that do business in New York are exempt from abuse regulations.

“While there are only 22 registered telemarketing agencies in New York, there are almost 1,200 telemarketing agencies in surrounding states, like New Jersey and Vermont who make calls into New York State. This measure will put all telemarketers, no matter where they are located, on the same playing field,” Assemblymember Barrett added.

“It’s imperative that we stop these telemarketing companies from bombarding our families with these calls, and this legislation will do just that,” Assemblymember Barrett said. “Establishing these guidelines for all telemarketers means that our families have the power to stop these calls at any time, no matter where the call is coming from.”