Latest News from State Capitol and 55th District

August 13, 2026

New Telemarketing Law Safeguards Consumers

Nothing can be more intrusive than receiving an unsolicited call for a service you are not interested in, right? 

And worse yet, all the guidance in the world tells us that we should assume that such a caller is really a scammer, giving their best effort to trick us into giving information about ourselves, whether it be bank information, a Social Security card or even a home address.

Let’s say I get a call from Circle Pines, Minnesota, and if that is the area code that appears on my caller ID, I am likely to ignore it and allow the caller to leave a message. 

But what if it’s from a 724 or 412 area code? I think to myself, I better answer it. And soon, I am likely to be on the phone with someone overseas who is offering a personal loan or to extend my vehicle warranty. 

That kind of deception is known as “spoofing” and with the passage of a new law, it is illegal in Pennsylvania.

I was happy to support the passage of Act 47 of 2026, which specifically bans telemarketing companies from faking their name or spoofing a local phone number on a caller ID in an attempt to trick people into answering. It also limits calling hours to between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, instead of the current 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Calls will be prohibited on Sundays and holidays as well.

The law also establishes that telemarketers must explain upfront who they are and why they are calling. If you say you are not interested or that you do not wish to speak with them, they are now required to end the call immediately.

While spoofing is addressed in federal law and enforced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), by having a state-level law, the office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General, though its Bureau of Consumer Protection, also has enforcement powers and the ability to pursue court action.

Pursuing better enforcement regarding illegal phone calls is a familiar topic for Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Dave Sunday, who in late 2025 announced his office joined 50 bipartisan attorneys general in sending warning letters to 37 voice providers allegedly violating FCC standards. The providers are accused of ignoring FCC traceback requests, failing to register with the FCC's Robocall Mitigation Database, or not implementing anti-robocall plans.

A robocall is an automated phone call that uses a prerecorded or an artificial voice instead of a live person. It’s typically sent out by machines that can dial thousands of numbers at once, often for telemarketing, alerts or scams.

By disregarding the federal rules, the companies are inadvertently permitting robocallers onto their phone networks and then passing those robocalls downstream to other providers, until the robocalls reach you and me. Therefore, warning letters were sent to 99 downstream telecom providers.

Unfortunately, even with all the enforcement measures and new laws, there will always be wrongdoers. 

The best way to reduce unwanted calls and texts is to sign up for the Pennsylvania Do Not Call list online at attorneygeneral.gov or by calling 1-888-777-3406, as well as the FCC’s National Do Not Call Registry at DoNotCall.gov. Also, If you continue to receive such calls and texts, be certain to mark them as “spam” or “junk.” Doing so helps phone carriers take action.

On a similar note, be certain to attend my consumer protection event, $CAM JAM, tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the New Kensington Senior Center, 1039 Third Ave., New Kensington. Guest speakers include presenters from the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, the New Kensington Police Department, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Westmoreland Area Agency on Aging and AARP Pennsylvania. This is a free event and promises to be fun and informative. Call 724-472-4102 with any questions. 

Here are some additional news topics I would like to share.

Elk Cam Fires Back Up! - With the September peak of Pennsylvania’s elk rut right around the corner, you can get a jumpstart on viewing some of those bugling bulls through the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s (PGC) Elk Cam.

The camera is located in the heart of Pennsylvania’s elk range, an area totaling more than 220,000 acres including State Game Lands 311 and Elk State Forest. Video from the Elk Cam, as well as livestreams of turkey, deer and other wildlife can be found on the PGC’s portion of PA.gov. The top times to view elk on camera are mornings and evenings. 

If you’d like to see the bugling season in person, the PA Game Commission reminds visitors to always be “Elk Smart” by giving elk space, never feeding elk and doing your part to ensure the welfare of the herd. 

College Savings Program Fees Waived - Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity has announced that asset-based fees for the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) will be waived for the fifth consecutive year, saving Pennsylvania families $5.9 million between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027. The fee waiver is funded through surplus earnings of the GSP fund.

The PA 529 GSP allows families to save at today’s tuition rates to help cover tomorrow’s tuition costs. 

The PA 529 College and Career Savings program has been helping Pennsylvania families steadily and strategically save for more than 30 years. PA 529 accounts can be used for a wide variety of qualifying technical, collegiate, apprenticeship and credential expenses like tuition, fees, books, equipment, room and board, and more.

Treasury also offers the Morningstar Gold-Rated PA 529 Investment Plan (IP), and together both plans have helped nearly 343,000 account holders save more than $10 billion for future education expenses.

To learn more about PA 529, visit pa529.com or call 800-440-4000.