1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to consumer protection; establishing an 
  1.3             outreach advocacy network to educate the public about 
  1.4             telemarketing fraud; appropriating money; proposing 
  1.5             coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 325G.
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [325G.53] [CONSUMER EDUCATION; TELEMARKETING 
  1.8   FRAUD.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] The attorney general shall 
  1.10  establish an outreach advocacy network to educate citizens of 
  1.11  the state with respect to telemarketing fraud. 
  1.12     Subd. 2.  [DUTIES.] The advocacy network shall: 
  1.13     (1) conduct clinics and seminars throughout the state to 
  1.14  educate consumers with respect to telemarketing fraud, including 
  1.15  providing an explanation of rights under federal and state law, 
  1.16  such as the right to be placed on an individual business's 
  1.17  no-call list, and recommending effective strategies to combat 
  1.18  fraud; 
  1.19     (2) facilitate outreach to groups particularly susceptible 
  1.20  to telemarketing fraud by training advocates for senior citizens 
  1.21  and other consumer groups to conduct clinics and seminars in 
  1.22  their communities; 
  1.23     (3) prepare and publish informational brochures on 
  1.24  telemarketing fraud for distribution to consumers; and 
  1.25     (4) serve as an information clearinghouse within the state 
  2.1   to assist consumers and others to obtain information with 
  2.2   respect to current fraudulent telemarketing activity in the 
  2.3   state. 
  2.4      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.5      $....... is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 
  2.6   1999, to the attorney general from the general fund for the 
  2.7   purpose of section 1.