Sec. 1. 10 MRSA §1499-A is enacted to read:

§1499-A.__Telemarketing; prohibition

1.__Prohibition.__Except as provided in subsection 2, a person may not initiate a solicitation call to a person in this State if the caller blocks or causes the blocking of the caller's telephone number so that it will not be displayed on the receiving party's caller identification device.

2.__Exceptions.__The provisions of subsection 1 do not apply to:

A.__A person who makes fewer than 300 solicitation calls in any 12-month period;

B.__A person who has an established business relationship with the person called; or

C.__A person making solicitations on behalf of a charitable organization as defined in Title 9, section 5003.

3.__Penalty.__Violation of this section is an unfair trade practice as prohibited by Title 5, section 207.

SUMMARY

This bill prohibits a telemarketer from blocking the caller's telephone number so that it will not display on the receiving party's caller identification device. The bill provides exceptions for a person making a limited number of solicitation calls, a person who has an established business relationship with the receiver of the call and charitable organizations.