Legislation to prohibit unsolicited telemarketing sales calls to commercial mobile service devices was given final legislative approval in the Assembly on Monday, 76-0. The bill was sponsored by Assembly Democrats Nancy Pinkin, Wayne DeAngelo and Timothy Eustace.

Currently, the national “no call list” law prohibits all telemarketing sales calls from being made to cell phones, except that a cell phone service provider may call its own customers.

“The statewide “no call list” has helped to end intrusive telemarketing calls to New Jersey homes,” said Pinkin (D-Middlesex). “The law must be expanded to stop telemarketing companies from now targeting residents’ cell phones.”

The legislation (A-2933) clarifies the state’s “no call list” law to prohibit unsolicited telemarketing sales calls from being made to cell phones. The bill stipulates that telemarketers would be allowed to contact customers who have provided telemarketers their contact information.

“Unsolicited telemarketing calls to mobile phones can infringe on consumers’ time and data plan,” DeAngelo (D-Mercer, Middlesex). “Residents should have the option of placing mobile phone numbers on the ‘no call list’ and put an end to these annoying calls that impose on their lives and use up their minutes.”

“These unsolicited calls to residents’ cell phones are a nuisance,” said Eustace (D-Bergen, Passaic). “The ‘no call list’ is an effective tool used to combat the unnecessary intrusion telemarketing calls make on residents’ time and money. Expanding existing law to cover cell phones makes good sense.”

The Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee voted to release the bill on October 23. The measure now goes to the Governor desk for further consideration.

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