Pennsylvania State Legislator Escapes Liability for Robocalls

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act’s restriction on automated phone calls doesn’t apply to those made by state legislators for the public benefit, the Third Circuit said Monday.

“We are hesitant to conclude Congress has prohibited state legislators from exercising these entirely legitimate functions of their office” for which they never faced liability before, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit said, reversing a lower court’s denial of summary judgment to Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Matthew Bradford.

Members of the Pennsylvania House can submit mass communications requests to the communications office, which only approves requests if it determines a ...