NY law allows state to regulate more telemarketers

A new law aimed at reducing unwanted telemarketing authorizes New York to regulate companies licensed elsewhere that do calling business here. WAMC's Dave Lucas reports.

They will have to file proof of their other licensing or registration with New York's secretary of state.

The measure signed Tuesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo also prohibits prerecorded calls unless recipients consent, requiring an opt-out provision in the message.

He says the unwanted calls are "intrusive and irritating."

The law takes effect in 90 days.

New York lets consumers place phone numbers in a do-not-call registry against unsolicited telemarketing. It has more than 13 million numbers.

Since 2009, the state has logged nearly 5,000 related complaints and inquires.

In the first quarter of 2011, the Federal Trade Commission recorded more than 61,000 telemarketing complaints from New Yorkers.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.