‘Do Not Call’ plan divides political parties

Erin Neff

Monday, March 17, 2003 | 11:14 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Support for funding a plan to prevent unwanted telemarketing calls is splitting along party lines.

Assembly Democrats pushed their proposal out of the Commerce and Labor Committee on Friday despite some concerns about how their bill would fund a "Do Not Call" registry.

Democrats believe they can't lose with the bill, which has widespread consumer support.

But despite an assurance from the state's consumer advocate about available funding for the start-up costs, others are not so sure.

Consumer Advocate Tim Hay, who works in the attorney general's Office of Consumer Protection, told bill sponsor Marcus Conklin, D-Las Vegas, that his office had a fund that could be tapped for the registry.

But Republican Attorney General Brian Sandoval said Friday the fund is designed to collect judgments in consumer protection cases, with any amount above $250,000 reverting to the state's general fund.

The fund has $835,000, Sandoval said, but he argued: "It really is state money."

Sandoval had proposed a no-calls registry, but withdrew his bill to allow Conklin's Assembly Bill 232 to move forward.

However, Sandoval did not testify on behalf of Conklin's bill and might decide to back a measure introduced by Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, that instead would establish a "Do Call" registry with several exemptions.

Townsend wants consumers who do want telemarketing calls to put their name on a list. But his bill would exempt existing business relationships, utilities and others from the requirements.

Conklin faced stiff opposition to his proposal because it did not offer any exemptions to the Do Not Call list. He proposed an amendment which establishes a two-tier registry.

That amendment means people who want to be listed on the registry would also have the option to either receive or not receive calls from businesses with which they have an existing business relationship.

Conklin said establishing such a two-tiered approach would not make his registry unwieldy or any more expensive to maintain.

The amended version of AB232, which places the registry in Hay's office for funding purposes, gives the measure hope for avoiding the Ways and Means Committee.

Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, voted against the measure in committee because he did not think charging businesses that want the registry $1,000 would be fair in rural Nevada.

"Small people in a small county could never get the funds to find out whether they can call somebody," Hettrick said.

But he also said he would not be overly concerned, particularly if the measure ends up in Ways and Means.

"I think that may be death this session with the amount of money we have," Hettrick said.

Hettrick, Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas; and Ron Knecht, R-Carson City, voted against the measure in committee. Republicans Dawn Gibbons, R-Reno, and Josh Griffin, R-Henderson, voted for it, while Griffin made note that he would reserve the right to vote against it on the floor.

Conklin said the compromise approved by the committee is "something I'm comfortable with."

But immediately after Friday's Commerce and Labor work session, business lobbyists huddled to discuss strategy for killing the proposal or getting the exemptions they want in the Senate Republican bill.

AB232 now goes to the full Assembly for a vote. Townsend's bill has not yet been heard in his Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.