PRINTER'S NO. 586

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No. 562 Session of 1999

        INTRODUCED BY TRICH, THOMAS, MARKOSEK, READSHAW, TANGRETTI, COY,
           FAIRCHILD, PRESTON, TRELLO, VAN HORNE, YOUNGBLOOD, McCALL,
           STABACK, ROBINSON, SURRA, RAMOS, L. I. COHEN AND WASHINGTON,
           FEBRUARY 10, 1999

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FEBRUARY 10, 1999

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of December 4, 1996 (P.L.911, No.147), entitled
     2     "An act providing for registration requirements for
     3     telemarketers and for powers and duties of the Office of
     4     Attorney General," further providing for unlawful acts and
     5     penalties.

     6     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     7  hereby enacts as follows:
     8     Section 1.  Section 5(a)(7) of the act of December 4, 1996
     9  (P.L.911, No.147), known as the Telemarketer Registration Act,
    10  is amended and the subsection is amended by adding paragraphs to
    11  read:
    12  Section 5.  Unlawful acts and penalties.
    13     (a)  Acts enumerated.--The following acts are prohibited:
    14         * * *
    15         (7)  Failing to reduce any sale of goods or services made
    16     during a telemarketing call to a written contract [and
    17     obtaining] or failing to obtain the consumer's signature on
    18     the written contract required by this paragraph, except as

     1     provided in subsection (d). This paragraph does not apply to
     2     sales of goods or services which contemplate, require or
     3     otherwise involve multiple billing or more than one payment
     4     by the consumer.
     5         * * *
     6         (9)  Failing to reduce to a written contract any sale of
     7     consumer goods and services made during a telemarketing call
     8     when the sale contemplates, requires or otherwise involves
     9     multiple billing or more than one payment by the consumer.
    10         (10)  Failing to obtain the consumer's signature on a
    11     written contract required by paragraph (9).
    12         (11)  Telemarketing utilizing a telephone or telephone
    13     system or a device or service connected to a telephone or
    14     telephone system which blocks, interferes with or otherwise
    15     prohibits the person who is being called from determining, by
    16     use of a caller identification box or a similar device or
    17     service, the identity or telephone number of the caller.
    18     Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.








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