Lawmakers look to pull plug on robo calls?

SPRINGFIELD - Faced with a bevy of complaints from angry suburban residents, area lawmakers will propose restricting so-called "robo calls" that have become a hated campaign tactic.

At a news conference scheduled for today in Geneva, House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego, state Rep. Tim Schmitz, a Batavia Republican and state Rep. Ruth Munson, an Elgin Republican, are expected to call for new restrictions on the use of such calls.

This follows the special election in the 14th Congressional District that saw widespread use of robo calls, much to the chagrin of the electorate.

"Please make the phone calls stop!" begged one person posting comments on DailyHerald.com.

However, the legislation comes after several key deadlines have expired, meaning the sponsors face a challenge even getting the idea considered much less approved.

At least a dozen states already have some kind of restriction if not an outright ban on the use of pre-recorded political campaign calls and another half dozen or so are considering restrictions.

In Congress, one lawmaker proposed extending the "do not call" list to include political robo calls in addition to telemarketers.