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<section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-204" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Telephone Service">
  <level label="a">
    <text>This section does not apply to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a unit of federal, State, or local government that uses an automated dialing prerecorded message machine for emergency purposes; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>a person who has a preexisting business relationship with, or the consent of, the person called.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A person may not use an automated dialing, push-button, or tone-activated address signaling system with a prerecorded message to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>solicit persons to purchase, lease, or rent goods or services;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>offer a gift or prize;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>conduct a poll; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>request survey information if the results will be used directly to solicit persons to purchase, lease, or rent goods or services.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The sender of an automated dialing, push-button, or tone-activated address signaling call shall disconnect the prerecorded message machine from the recipient’s telephone line within 5 seconds after the termination of the call by either the person calling or the person called.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>A person who violates a provision of subsection (b) or (c) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>not exceeding $1,000 for the first offense; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>not exceeding $5,000 for each subsequent offense.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
