By Nixon S.B. No. 437 76R4745 DWS-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to blocking the receipt of certain calls by telephone 1-3 solicitors. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 55, Utilities Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 55.154 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 55.154. BLOCKING CALLS BY TELEPHONE SOLICITORS. (a) 1-8 In this section "telephone solicitor" and "consumer telephone call" 1-9 have the meanings assigned by Section 37.01, Business & Commerce 1-10 Code. 1-11 (b) This section applies only to a telephone solicitor that 1-12 the commission determines makes an average of 25 or more consumer 1-13 telephone calls a day. 1-14 (c) On request of a customer, a local exchange company shall 1-15 block the transmission to the customer of all consumer telephone 1-16 calls from telephone solicitors to which this section applies. 1-17 (d) The commission shall: 1-18 (1) establish technological standards and procedures 1-19 applicable to telephone solicitors and local exchange companies 1-20 under which consumer telephone calls may be identified and blocked 1-21 as provided by this section; and 1-22 (2) provide for notice to customers of their rights to 1-23 have consumer telephone calls blocked under this section. 1-24 (e) A telephone solicitor to which this section applies is 2-1 considered a person regulated under this title for the purpose of 2-2 application of the administrative penalty under Section 15.023 to a 2-3 violation of this section or a rule adopted under this section. 2-4 SECTION 2. (a) The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall 2-5 establish the procedures required by Section 55.154, Utilities 2-6 Code, as added by this Act, before January 1, 2000. 2-7 (b) The change in law made by this Act applies only to a 2-8 consumer telephone call made on or after January 1, 2000. 2-9 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 2-10 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-11 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-12 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-13 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-14 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.