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Florida House Speaker Johnnie Byrd is exploring the cost of automated phone calls to residents to tout lawmakers' work.
©Associated Press
January 29, 2003
TALLAHASSEE -- House Speaker Johnnie Byrd is looking for companies that could place thousands of unsolicited, prerecorded phone calls an hour from state representatives to Florida residents.
According to documents obtained from Byrd's office by the Palm Beach Post, the calls would be made to "better inform constituents about the important work being done in Tallahassee by the Florida House of Representatives."
The Republican speaker is asking companies if they could make 50,000 30-second calls an hour and what that would cost.
If it happens, the money would come out of this year's budget for House expenses, which isn't fully spent, said Byrd's spokeswoman, Nicole de Lara. Byrd wouldn't have to pitch it as a new expense in tight budget year.
Lawmakers will likely consider cuts in some government services this year, and Byrd is opposed to new taxes, saying he wants the state to "live within its means."
De Lara said she did not know how much Byrd envisioned spending on the project or how frequently Floridians could expect the calls. She said no proposals had been received from phone bank operators.
"I don't think anything's been done yet other than to go out there and see how much it would cost," de Lara said Tuesday.
House Majority Leader Marco Rubio, R-Miami, said he wasn't aware of the proposal's details, but said the idea was to raise constituents' awareness.
Rubio said lawmakers would decide if they want to use the service. "Some districts like automated calls, some hate it," he said.
The calls would be legal -- the federal law that prohibits most prerecorded phone solicitations to residential lines exempts noncommercial calls such as those made by government or political campaigns.
If Byrd, R-Plant City, provides the service, it will be made available to Democratic as well as Republican members, Rubio said.
For example, he said, a legislator could record a message announcing a community forum and then use the system to get the message to thousands of constituents.
Rep. Doug Wiles of St. Augustine, the leader of the House's 39 Democrats, said he's worried that the plan is political and designed primarily for "incumbent protection."
"Other than enhancing your name recognition, what else are you accomplishing?" he said.