"An Act relating to establishing the Alaska No-Call List, a data base of residential telephone customers who do not wish to receive telephonic solicitations; providing that the data base be compiled at no cost to the customers; requiring paid telephonic sellers to purchase the data base; requiring telephonic sellers to identify themselves; requiring telephonic solicitors who are otherwise exempt from registration as telephonic solicitors to file with the Department of Law and purchase the data base; and providing for an effective date."

Committee Substitute for House Bill 15 is a combined effort of the Department of Law and our office to assure a quieter dinner hour for Alaskans. When HB 15 was introduced the intent was to bring responsibility to the telemarketing industry, and give Alaskans an opportunity to sign up for a no-call list. While working on the bill, Congress was working on similar language for the nation. H.R. 395 was passed into law, regulations have been promulgated and the National No-Call list is in effect.

The CS version of HB 15 is language that will complete the process for Alaska. It supplements the federal law by making specific, some of the language geared for a nation, rather than a state. Further, it establishes specific guidelines for telemarketers operating in state. Those guidelines include a registration fees, how telemarketers are expected to identify themselves, financial reports, and allows the Department of Law to establish penalties for non-compliance.

CS for HB 15 will accomplish what the original version sought to do, without the need for Alaskans to sign up again in state. It sends a clear message to telemarketers that these people do not wish to be called, and that there are consequences for non-compliance. It strengthens statutory language and assures Alaskans that we agree the phone should only ring during the dinner hours when it is someone we want to talk too.

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