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Governor signs legislation to reduce unwanted telemarketing calls

On Tuesday, Hochul signed legislation that would allow for people to be added to a company's do-not-call list.

NEW YORK — On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill that would require telemarketers to have a do-not-call list that customers can have the option to be added to.

"We are dialing up our efforts to give New Yorkers a break from unsolicited telemarketing calls," Hochul said. 

"For too long, New Yorkers have dealt with these nuisance calls, not knowing they can avoid these interactions by being added to a telemarketer's do-not-call list. This new legislation will protect New Yorkers from receiving frustrating, unwanted calls by better providing information on do-not-call lists."

People will have the option to be added to the do-not-call list for certain telemarketing calls right after the telemarketer's name and solicitor's name are provided. 

This is a change to the law in place before the new legislation. Under that law, telemarketers were still required to tell consumers of a do-not-call list, but they did not have to mention it at the top of the call. As a result most people would hang up before they were told about the option.

"Since the frequency of nuisance calls continues to rise, we are going further to safeguard New Yorkers from continuous unwanted calls. For too long telemarketers have taken advantage of the opportunity to bury no-call list sign up options at the end of scripts; that stops now. I am grateful for the partnership of Assemblymember Paulin and the support of Governor Hochul as we deliver meaningful protections to New York Residents," State Senator Jeremy Cooney said.

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