Legislation to ease the restrictions of Idaho’s “do not call” list to allow phone companies to call to pitch products to their existing customers squeaked out of the Senate State Affairs Committee today on a 5-4 vote. The bill, HB 55, proposed by phone companies but opposed by the Idaho Attorney General’s office, now moves to the full Senate for debate. The AG’s consumer protection division reports that the do-not-call list is extremely popular with Idahoans, who tell the office they want fewer calls pitching products at their homes, not more. In the Senate committee today, Chairman Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, broke the tie, voting in favor of the bill. Also backing it were Sens. Hill, Winder, Lodge and Siddoway. Opposing it were Sens. Davis, Fulcher, Stennett and Werk/Betsy Russell, Eye on Boise.

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