Republican Lawmaker Introduces Seinfeld-Inspired Bill Targeting Telemarketers

A Republican in New Jersey introduced Seinfeld-inspired legislation aimed at flipping the script on telemarketers.

New Jersey state Sen. Jon Bramnick (R) introduced a bill that would require telemarketers to give customers they are calling “the name and telephone number of the person on whose behalf the call is being made.” They would be required to give this information within 30 seconds. Those who violate the new rules would be hit with a disorderly person citation.

If there was any doubt the bill was at least partially inspired by one of the most famous moments from the ’90s sitcom from comedian Jerry Seindeld, Bramnick tweeted out the actual scene the bill references when introducing the legislation.

In the shared scene, the character of Seinfeld receives a call from a telemarketer and catches the person off guard when he claims it’s an inconvenient time, but he’d be happy to call the person back if they’d leave their name and phone number. The telemarketer of course says he can’t leave this information.

“Oh, I guess you don’t want people calling you at home?” Seinfeld asks.

“No,” the man answers.

“Well, now you know how I feel,” Seinfeld says, quickly hanging up.

Bramnick’s bill would also require “the mailing address of a telemarketer and any business on whose behalf the telemarketer is telemarketing to be disclosed on any website owned or operated by the telemarketer and on any subsequent written communication to customers.”

It should be noted Bramnick is also a stand up comedian. His bill is being taken seriously though. Fox News reported the five senators on the New Jersey Senate Commerce Committee all voted in favor of pushing the bill forward. It will still need to pass the state assembly and senate and be signed by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) before it becomes law.

Watch above via PIX11.