Just the Fax: Associations Applaud Legislation
Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 7/25/2005
Industry associations — including the American Society of Assn. Executives and Professional Convention Management Assn. — are lauding the passage of legislation allowing the continued use of faxing in the meetings industry.
President Bush on July 9 signed the Junk Fax Prevention Act, maintaining the established business relationship exception that allows organizations and companies to send unsolicited faxes to members and clients. The act requires unsolicited commercial faxes to include an opt-out provision on the first page. In addition, fax numbers must be obtained from the recipient or a public source. The law grandfathers in fax numbers that were in the sender's possession at the time of enactment.
According to ASAE, the legislation was necessary because of rules the Federal Communications Commission developed in 2003 that would have prohibited commercial faxes sent without a recipient's written consent.
"Fax communications can continue to be part of a marketing strategy for (ASAE) members, industry partners and others," said Jim Clarke, ASAE senior vice president of public policy.
Deborah Sexton, PCMA president and CEO, hailed the legislation as "a victory for everyone in the meetings industry." She added that most associations, hotels, convention and visitors bureaus and other meetings industry suppliers use fax communications responsibly.
The bill, introduced April 5 by Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), amended Section 227 of the Communications Act of 1934 relating to the prohibition of junk mail transmissions.
