Two Missouri lawmakers, with the backing of state Attorney General Jay Nixon, have proposed a registry similar to the state's do-not-call list for people who wish not to receive unsolicited commercial e-mail, commonly known as spam.
Nixon and state Rep. Chuck Graham of Columbia, MO, held a news conference Oct. 21 to announce Graham's intention to submit a “no-spam list” bill to the state legislature in 2003. State Sen. Wayne Good of St. Louis will back similar legislation in the Missouri Senate.
If created, a no-spam list would let Missouri consumers register their e-mail addresses as easily as they currently are able to register for the state's DNC list. Registration to the Missouri DNC list is free and available online or by calling a toll-free hotline.
Missouri's no-call registry has led to a decrease in the number of telemarketing calls made into the state, Nixon said. A no-spam list is expected to have a similar effect.
Announcement of the Missouri no-spam list proposal comes as the Direct Marketing Association, during its annual convention this week at Moscone Center in San Francisco, offered support for federal anti-spam legislation. The DMA's statement represented a reversal from its previous position, which backed industry self-regulation as the best way to control spam and fraud.
