Gov. Jim Doyle and Sen. Jon Erpenbach seek legislation to reinstate a $10,000 penalty for violators of the state’s model No Call List and restore the right of citizens to sue companies that violate the law.
They also urged the 1.5 million Wisconsin residents currently on the list to sign up again before Sept. 1. To ensure the accuracy of the list, sign up is required every two years, or names are dropped from the list.
On June 29, a Dane County Circuit Court decision upheld the basic provisions of the No Call law, but struck down the penalties.
“Every Wisconsin family has had the experience of being interrupted at dinner by annoying, unwanted sales calls,” Gov. Doyle said in a statement. “This law gives individuals the power to protect themselves and their family time from these calls, but it only works if it has teeth behind it. I will work with Senator Erpenbach to pass legislation ensuring that our state’s law continues to be the strongest in the nation.”
Gov. Doyle and Sen. Erpenbach also reiterated their opposition to any action by the federal government to pre-empt Wisconsin’s No Call List with the weaker, federal Do-Not-Call Registry.
“The federal government has no legal authority to pre-empt Wisconsin’s law, yet they have threatened to try. We must stand strong because Wisconsin’s law prevents many calls the federal registry does not,” Sen. Erpenbach said in a statement. “In Wisconsin, telemarketers can only call current clients, but the federal registry allows unlimited calls to former clients for 18 months. That’s a long time to get harassed by a company you choose to leave.”
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