Why local lawmakers are pushing a ban on robo-calls

The political robo-calls that flooded 14th Congressional District phones from both candidates didn't have their desired effect.

Some people voted for "the other guy." Others left their ballots blank or didn't vote at all.

Those were a few scenarios that politicians and residents said they had heard following the contentious special election this month.

On Tuesday, state Reps. Tim Schmitz, a Batavia Republican, and Ruth Munson, an Elgin Republican, introduced legislation to ban the use of automated dialers to call Illinois residents.

"We believe it's the right thing to do, given the invasion on people's privacy," said Republican House leader Tom Cross, an Oswego Republican, at a news conference.

The legislation would make exceptions for safety alerts and school districts calling with student information, Cross said.

Shaun Dakin, who runs the Web site www.stoppoliticalcalls.org, said he heard from many 14th Congressional District voters leading into the March election.

The group has signed up 50,000 people interested in not receiving robo-calls, but politicians' involvement is voluntary. Two members of Congress, one from North Carolina and one from Kansas, have taken its "no robo-call" pledge so far.

"Our position is that candidates are shooting themselves in the foot by doing this," he said.

Several states have enacted similar legislation amid concerns of free speech infringement.

But in most states, proposals often languish in a committee without coming to a vote, Dakin said.

That is a possibility for Illinois' legislation, which was introduced after General Assembly deadlines for new proposals.

It would also have to be called to a vote in both chambers with a Democratic majority.

But Cross said the issue wasn't a partisan one.

"I think if you go too far, it backfires on either side," he said. "I think there's a good chance for it."