Oregon Moves to Reinstate Enforcement of Do-Not-Call List

Oregon’s Senate Bill 117, a bill that would reinstate enforcement of the state’s do-not-call registry, passed Oregon’s House after passing the state’s Senate back in early May.

State Attorney General Hardy Myers said, in a statement, “The federal government receives thousands of complaints each year from Oregonians who have registered their phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry with the expectation that solicitors will not call them, only to be repeatedly bothered by unwanted calls. Without this bill, my office cannot effectively enforce against violators calling Oregonians. Passage of Senate Bill 117 provides DOJ with the necessary tools to hold violators of the Do Not Call Registry responsible.”

Telemarketers were able to exploit a loophole in Oregon.  In 1999, Oregon instituted its on do-not-call registry for the state.  The national law, however, preempted the state’s program unless the state designated the national list as its own or structured its laws to mirror the federal program.  Senate Bill 117 finally achieves that.

Senate Bill 117 will take effect immediately after it is signed into law by Governor Ted Kulongski.