The Legislature hereby finds, determines and declares that the use of telephones for commercial solicitation, including, but not limited to, cellular telephone text messages, is rapidly increasing; that this form of communication offers unique benefits, but entails special risks and poses the potential for abuse; that the Legislature finds that the widespread practice of fraudulent and deceptive commercial telephone solicitation has caused substantial financial losses to thousands of consumers and, particularly, elderly, homebound and otherwise vulnerable consumers, and is a matter vitally affecting the public interest; and, therefore, that the general welfare of the public and the protection of the integrity of the telemarketing industry requires statutory regulation of the commercial use of telephones.
Added by Laws 1994, c. 235, § 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1994. Amended by Laws 2011, c. 369, § 2, eff. July 1, 2011.