BUSINESS-TECH

This bill, known as the Automated Telephone Answering Equipment Act, requires businesses with 50 or more employees to offer callers the option of speaking to a live person during normal business hours. The law applies specifically to companies operating within the state and excludes systems used solely for general information or those allowing customers to complete transactions entirely by pressing touch-tone keys. Violations of this requirement could result in a civil penalty of $10,000 per incident, which would be paid to the Secretary of State and enforced by the Attorney General.