reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MS Code § 77-3-603 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 13 - Unsolicited Residential Telephonic Sales Calls|§ 77-3-603. Conduct of telephone solicitors regulated

 Any telephone solicitor who makes an unsolicited telephonic sales call to a residential telephone number shall:   Make calls between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., Central Standard Time, Monday through Friday, and between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays (no calls shall be made on Sundays);   Identify himself or herself by his or her true first and last names and the business on whose behalf he or she is soliciting immediately upon making contact by telephone with the person who is the object of the telephone solicitation; and   Discontinue the call immediately if at any time during the conversation the person being solicited expresses disinterest in continuing the call or sales presentation.
MS Code § 77-3-605 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 13 - Unsolicited Residential Telephonic Sales Calls|§ 77-3-605. Registration of telephone solicitors with Attorney General; surety bond

 Any telephone solicitor shall apply for a certificate of registration from the Office of the Attorney General as a condition for doing business in this state. The certificate of registration shall be in a form as prescribed by the Attorney General.   The application for a certificate of registration shall be accompanied by a surety bond in the penal sum of Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) with conditions and in a form prescribed by the Attorney General. The bond shall provide for the indemnification of any person suffering loss as the result of any fraud, misrepresentation or violation of Sections 77-3-601 through 77-3-619 by the principal. The term of the bond shall be continuous, but it shall be subject to cancellation by the surety in the manner described in this section. The surety may terminate the bond upon giving a sixty-day written notice to the principal and to the Attorney General, but the liability of the surety for acts of the principal and its agents shall continue during the sixty (60) days of cancellation notice. The notice does not absolve the surety from liability which accrues before the cancellation becomes final but which is discovered after that date and which may have arisen at any time during the term of the bond. Unless the bond is replaced by that of another surety before the expiration of the sixty (60) days' notice of cancellation, the certificate of registration shall be suspended. Any person required pursuant to this section to file a bond with an application for a certificate of registration may file, in lieu thereof, cash, a certificate of deposit, or government bonds in the amount of Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00). Such deposit is subject to the same terms and conditions as are provided for in the surety bond required herein. Any interest or earnings on such deposits are payable to the depositor.
MS Code § 77-3-607 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 13 - Unsolicited Residential Telephonic Sales Calls|§ 77-3-607. Requisites of enforceable contract; certain exceptions; merchant not to charge consumer's account before receipt of copy of contract

  A contract made pursuant to a telephonic sales call is not valid and enforceable against a consumer unless made in compliance with this section.   A contract made pursuant to a telephonic sales call shall:   Be reduced to writing and signed by the consumer.   Comply with all other applicable laws and rules.   Match the description of goods or services as principally used in the telephone solicitations.   Contain the name, address, and telephone number of the seller, the total price of the contract and a detailed description of the goods or services being sold.   Contain, in bold, conspicuous type, immediately preceding the signature, the following statement:  "YOU ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO PAY ANY MONEY UNLESS YOU SIGN THIS CONTRACT AND RETURN IT TO THE SELLER."    Include in its terms any oral or written representations made by the telephone solicitor to the consumer in connection with the transaction.     The provisions of this section do not apply to contractual sales regulated under other sections of the Mississippi statutes and to contractual sales of companies which provide telecommunication services and reach binding agreements by telephone for these services.   A merchant who engages a telephone solicitor to make or cause to be made a telephonic sales call shall not make or submit any charge to the consumer's credit card account until after the merchant receives from the consumer a copy of the contract which complies with this section.   The provisions of this section do not apply to a transaction:   Made in accordance with prior negotiations in the course of a visit by the consumer to a merchant operating a retail business establishment which has a fixed permanent location and where consumer goods are displayed or offered for sale on a continuing basis;   In which the consumer may obtain a full refund for the return of undamaged and unused goods or a cancellation of services notice to the seller within seven (7) days after receipt by the consumer, and the seller will process the refund within thirty (30) days after receipt of the returned merchandise by the consumer;   In which the consumer purchases goods or services after an examination of a television, radio, or print advertisement or a sample, brochure, or catalog of the merchant that contains the name, address and telephone number of the merchant; a description of the goods or services being sold; and any limitations or restrictions that apply to the offer; or   In which the merchant is a bona fide charitable organization ruled tax-exempt by the Internal Revenue Service.
MS Code § 77-3-611 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 13 - Unsolicited Residential Telephonic Sales Calls|§ 77-3-611. Attorney General to investigate violations; actions for civil penalties, injunction, and other relief; stipulated penalties; waiver of penalty upon restitution, reimbursement or payment of damages

 The Attorney General shall investigate any complaints received concerning violations of Sections 77-3-601 through 77-3-619. If, after investigating any complaint, the Attorney General finds that there has been a violation of Sections 77-3-601 through 77-3-619, the Attorney General may bring an action to impose a civil penalty and to seek other relief, including injunctive relief, as the court deems appropriate against the telephone solicitor. The civil penalty shall not exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) per violation and shall be deposited in the State General Fund, unallocated. This civil penalty may be recovered in any action brought under Sections 77-3-601 through 77-3-619 by the Attorney General. Alternatively, the Attorney General may terminate any investigation or action upon agreement by the person to pay a stipulated civil penalty. The Attorney General or the court may waive any civil penalty if the person has previously made full restitution or reimbursement or has paid actual damages to the consumers who have been injured by the violation.
MS Code § 77-3-613 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 13 - Unsolicited Residential Telephonic Sales Calls|§ 77-3-613. Burden of proving exemption or exemption from definition

 In any civil proceeding alleging a violation of Sections 77-3-601 through 77-3-619, the burden of proving an exemption or an exemption from a definition is upon the person claiming it.
MS Code § 77-3-615 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 13 - Unsolicited Residential Telephonic Sales Calls|§ 77-3-615. Attorney's fees; costs

  In any civil litigation resulting from a transaction involving a violation of Sections 77-3-601 through 77-3-619, the prevailing party, after judgment in the trial court and exhaustion of all appeals, if any, shall receive his reasonable attorney's fees and costs from the nonprevailing party.   The attorney for the prevailing party shall submit a sworn affidavit of his time spent on the case and his costs incurred for all the motions, hearings, and appeals to the trial judge who presided over the civil case.   The trial judge shall award the prevailing party the sum of reasonable costs incurred in the action plus a reasonable legal fee for the hours actually spent on the case as sworn to in an affidavit.   Any award of attorney's fees or costs shall become a part of the judgment and subject to execution as the law allows.   In any civil litigation initiated by the Attorney General, the court may award to the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs if the court finds that there was a complete absence of a justiciable issue of either law or fact raised by the losing party, or if the court finds bad faith on the part of the losing party.
MS Code § 77-3-617 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 13 - Unsolicited Residential Telephonic Sales Calls|§ 77-3-617. Telecommunications companies to inform customers of provisions of law

 The Attorney General shall by rule ensure that telecommunications companies inform their customers of the provisions of Sections 77-3-601 through 77-3-619. The notification may be made by:   Annual inserts in the billing statements mailed to customers; and   Conspicuous publication of the notice in the consumer information pages of the local telephone directories.
MS Code § 77-3-619 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 13 - Unsolicited Residential Telephonic Sales Calls|§ 77-3-619. Attorney General may issue rules and regulations to carry out provisions of law

 The Attorney General is authorized to issue any necessary rules and regulations in order to carry out the provisions of Sections 77-3-601 through 77-3-619.
MS Code § 77-3-701 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-701. Short title

 This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act."
MS Code § 77-3-703 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-703. Legislative findings

  The use of the telephone to make all types of solicitations to consumers is pervasive. This article gives consumers a tool by which to object to telemarketing calls and text messages, as these communications can amount to a nuisance, an invasion of privacy, and can create a health and safety risk for certain consumers who maintain their phone service primarily for emergency medical situations.   Any calls made for political purposes shall be governed by Section 23-15-875.
MS Code § 77-3-707 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-707. Use of the "no-calls" database by telephone solicitors mandatory

  Except as otherwise provided pursuant to Section 77-3-709 or 77-3-711, a telephone solicitor may not make or cause to be made any telephone solicitation to any consumer in this state unless the telephone solicitor has purchased the "no-calls" database from the commission or the entity under contract with the commission.   Except as otherwise provided pursuant to Section 77-3-709 or 77-3-711, a telephone solicitor may not make or cause to be made any telephone solicitation to any consumer in this state who has given notice to the commission, or the entity under contract with the commission, of his or her objection to receiving telephone solicitations.   The commission, or an entity under contract with the commission, shall establish and operate a "no-calls" database composed of a list of telephone numbers of consumers who have given notice of their objection to receiving telephone solicitations. The "no-calls" database may be operated by the commission or by another entity under contract with the commission.   Each local exchange company and each competing local exchange carrier shall provide written notification on a semiannual basis to each of its consumers of the opportunity to provide notification to the commission, or the entity under contract with the commission, that the consumer objects to receiving telephone solicitations. The notification must be disseminated at the option of the carrier, by television, radio or newspaper advertisements, written correspondence, bill inserts or messages, a publication in the consumer information pages of the local telephone directory, or any other method not expressly prohibited by the commission.   A telephone solicitor may not violate the Caller ID Anti-Spoofing Act in Section 77-3-801 et seq., and if in violation of such act, he shall also be in violation of this article. In addition to any remedies or penalties otherwise provided by law, such telephone solicitor shall be subject to any remedies or penalties available for a violation of this article.
MS Code § 77-3-709 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-709. Commission's discretion to exempt some telephone solicitors from purchase and use of no-calls database

 The commission, in its discretion, may allow telephone solicitors to make telephone solicitations without requiring them to purchase the "no-calls" database, and regardless of whether a telephone solicitation may be made to a consumer who has given notice of his objection to receiving such solicitations, provided that it adopts a written policy incorporating the following criteria:   The telephone solicitor must demonstrate to the commission that its proposed telephone solicitation is reasonably related to an established business relationship as defined in Section 77-3-705(h), or is being made in response to an invitation or notice from a consumer which clearly signifies that he is open to a contact being initiated;   The telephone solicitation is to be made by a person or entity for the purpose of soliciting a contribution or donation to a bona fide nonprofit corporation, regardless of whether consumer goods or services will be provided to the consumer in return for the contribution or donation; or   The consumer will not be telephoned for a telephone solicitation as defined in Section 77-3-705(d), but he will be telephoned for a bona fide religious or charitable purpose, including an invitation to attend an event or a request for a contribution or donation.   In all cases, the telephone solicitor must demonstrate that it will not use an automated dialing system or a method that will block or otherwise circumvent the consumer's use of a caller identification service.   In making its determination of whether to allow a telephone solicitation to be made under the policy which will include the limitations set forth in this section, the commission shall exercise due care in investigating previous conduct of the telephone solicitor seeking such authority. The commission may deny any telephone solicitor the privilege of making telephone solicitations under this section, notwithstanding that any of the criteria set forth in this section have been met.
MS Code § 77-3-713 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-713. Registration of telephone solicitors mandatory

 All telephone solicitors must register with the commission before conducting any telephone solicitations in the State of Mississippi.
MS Code § 77-3-715 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-715. Regulatory powers of Public Service Commission

 The commission may promulgate rules and regulations necessary to effectuate this article, including, but not limited to, the following:   The methods by which consumers may give notice to the commission or its contractor of their objection to receive solicitations or revocation of the notice;   The methods by which a notice of objection becomes effective and the effect of a change of telephone number on the notice;   The methods by which objections and revocations are collected and added to the database;   The methods by which a person or entity desiring to make telephone solicitations may obtain access to the database as required to avoid calling the telephone number of consumers included in the database;   The process by which the database is updated, and the frequency of updates;   The process by which telephone solicitors must register with the commission for the purpose of conducting telephonic solicitations in the state;   The establishment of fees to be charged by the commission or its contractor to telephone solicitors for access to or for paper or electronic copies of the database on an annual basis;   The establishment of a written policy which clearly articulates the circumstances under which the commission, in its discretion, may allow exceptions to the provisions of this article pursuant to Section 77-3-703; and   All other matters relating to the database that the commission deems necessary.
MS Code § 77-3-717 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-717. Inclusion in no-calls database of Mississippi part of any Federal Trade Commission national database

 If the Federal Trade Commission establishes a single national database of telephone numbers of consumers who object to receiving telephone solicitations, the commission must include the portion of the single national database that relates to the State of Mississippi in the database established under this article. Likewise, the commission shall make available the state's database to the Federal Trade Commission for inclusion in the national database.
MS Code § 77-3-719 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-719. Nondisclosure of database

 Information contained in the database established under this article may be used and accessed only for the purpose of compliance with this article and shall not be otherwise subject to public inspection or disclosure.
MS Code § 77-3-721 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-721. Fees; funding of expenses of agency; deposit of user charges and fees authorized under this section into State General Fund

 All fees collected under the provisions of this article shall be deposited into a special fund which is created in the State Treasury to be expended by the commission for the implementation and administration of this article. From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of this agency shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.   This section shall stand repealed July 1, 2021.
MS Code § 77-3-723 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-723. Rules for authorized calls

  Any person or entity who makes an authorized telephone solicitation to a consumer in this state shall announce clearly, at the beginning of each call, his or her name, the company he or she represents and the purpose of the call. Such calls may only be made between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. No telephone solicitations may be made on a Sunday. For purposes of this provision, an "authorized telephone solicitation" means a solicitation that is made: (a) to a consumer who is not listed on the most current "no-calls" database; (b) by a telephone solicitor who has been authorized to make such solicitations under the provisions of Section 77-3-709; or (c) by a telephone solicitor who is exempt from this article under the provisions of Section 77-3-711.   A person or entity who makes a telephone solicitation to a consumer in this state may not utilize knowingly any method that blocks or otherwise circumvents the consumer's use of a caller identification service, nor may the person or entity use an automated dialing system or any like system that uses a recorded voice message to communicate with the consumer unless the person or entity has an established business relationship with the consumer and uses the recorded voice message to inform the consumer about a new product or service.
MS Code § 77-3-725 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-725. Violations; hearings; penalties

 The commission may investigate alleged violations and initiate proceedings relative to a violation of this article or any rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this article. Such proceedings include, without limitation, proceedings to issue a cease and desist order, and to issue an order imposing a civil penalty not to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) for each violation. The commission shall afford an opportunity for a fair hearing to the alleged violator(s) after giving written notice of the time and place for said hearing. Failure to appear at any such hearing may result in the commission finding the alleged violator(s) liable by default. Any telephone solicitor found to have violated this article, pursuant to a hearing or by default, may be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) for each violation to be assessed and collected by the commission. Each telephonic communication shall constitute a separate violation.   All penalties collected by the commission shall be deposited in the special fund created under Section 77-3-721 for the administration of this article.   The commission may issue subpoenas, require the production of relevant documents, administer oaths, conduct hearings, and do all things necessary in the course of investigating, determining and adjudicating an alleged violation.   The remedies, duties, prohibitions and penalties set forth under this article shall not be exclusive and shall be in addition to all other causes of action, remedies and penalties provided by law, including, but not limited to, the penalties provided by Section 77-1-53.
MS Code § 77-3-727 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3 - Regulation of Public Utilities|Article 15 - Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act|§ 77-3-727. Consumer complaints

 Any person who has received a telephone solicitation in violation of this article, or any rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this article, may file a complaint with the commission. The complaint will be processed pursuant to complaint procedures established by the commission.