HF 2429

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/08/2016 04:24pm

A bill for an act
relating to telecommunications; requiring telecommunications carriers to offer
services to customers that block calls dialed by an automatic dialing-announcing
device; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 237.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [237.185] CALL-BLOCKING SERVICES.
new text end

new text begin (a) A telecommunications carrier subject to any of the provisions of this chapter
must offer customers one or more call-blocking services.
new text end

new text begin (b) An offer of a call-blocking service by a telecommunications carrier to a
customer must fully disclose the limitations of the call-blocking service, including
the possibility that (1) the service may not be capable of blocking all calls dialed
by an automatic dialing-announcing device, and (2) some calls not dialed by an
automatic dialing-announcing device may be blocked. A customer must certify to the
telecommunications carrier orally or in writing that the customer understands and accepts
the technological limitations of the call-blocking service before the telecommunications
carrier may begin providing the call-blocking service to the customer.
new text end

new text begin (c) To the extent feasible, a call-blocking service must not block a call:
new text end

new text begin (1) the customer has knowingly or voluntarily requested, consented to, permitted,
or authorized;
new text end

new text begin (2) that is immediately preceded by a live operator who obtains the customer's
consent before the message is delivered;
new text end

new text begin (3) from a school district to students, parents, or employees;
new text end

new text begin (4) from a caller who has a current business or personal relationship with the
customer;
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new text begin (5) from a customer's employer advising employees of work schedules; or
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new text begin (6) from a nonprofit tax-exempt charitable organization sent solely for the purpose
of soliciting voluntary donations of clothing to benefit disabled United States military
veterans, and containing no request for monetary donations or other solicitations of any
kind.
new text end

new text begin (d) For the purposes of this section, "call-blocking service" means a service
offered by a telecommunications carrier that prevents calls dialed by an automatic
dialing-announcing device, as defined in section 325E.26, from reaching a customer's
telephone, subject to the exceptions in paragraph (c). A call-blocking service includes
but is not limited to services that:
new text end

new text begin (1) allow blocked callers to leave a voice mail that is heard by the call recipient; and
new text end

new text begin (2) require a caller to enter a code on the caller's telephone that allows the call to be
connected to the call recipient's telephone.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
Telecommunications carriers subject to this section must make a call-blocking service
available to customers on or before July 1, 2017.
new text end