New “Do Not Text” List Goes Into Effect July 1st In Tennessee

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –

New Tennessee law aims to put a stop to unsolicited text messages, providing protection from unwanted and unrequested sales pitches.

The new law, which goes into effect on July 1st, is similar to the existing “Do Not Call” registry and would merge a “Do Not Text” list with the current database of Tennessee residents who have requested to not receive calls from solicitors.

State Representative William Lamberth (R-Portland-District 44), the sponsor of House Bill 0805, noted that he was a recipient of unwanted messages from solicitors, as were many of his constituents. 

The legislation states that any person who sends a text message for the purchase, rental, or investment in property, goods, or services could be hit with a $2,000 fine per incident. The law also prohibits solicitation of donations, except in the case of non-profit groups.

In addition, the law stipulates that solicitors cannot prevent individuals from being able to use caller identification. 

People are not prohibited from soliciting if an individual has already opted into receiving communications from the entity or if the person has utilized the business within the last year. Collection agencies and political candidates are also permitted to call without prior approval.

Any individual who is already registered with the “Do Not Call” list will be automatically added to the “Do Not Text” list. Those who would like to sign up can do so via this site.

Registered numbers remain on the list until an individual requests that they be removed. Violations can be reported to the TPUC Consumer Services and External Affairs Division.

About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative  ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career.  Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others.  He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History.  Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com