Wash. Senate bill to establish state no-call telemarketing list c...

Wash. Senate bill to establish state no-call telemarketing list cleared first committee hurdle and now awaits action by 2nd Senate panel. Bill (HB-2611) would require Wash. Dept. of Licensing to establish state no-call list and handle quarterly updates. List would be enforced by state Attorney Gen. or by lawsuits filed by injured consumers. Penalty would be $1,000 per offending call, with few exemptions. Wash. Utilities & Transportation Commission would have to require all local providers to notify consumers of how to get on state list. Bill passed Senate Telecom Committee and now is before Senate Labor, Commerce & Financial Institutions Committee. Also advancing is Wash. House measure (HB-2639) to extend state’s moratorium on local taxation of Internet services for additional year, to Nov. 2003. Current moratorium is to expire Nov. 2002. Bill passed Senate Telecom Committee after being adopted by House and now goes to Senate floor.