Show Telephone Harassment Illegal in Utah Governor Calvin Cal L L. L Rampton has signed Into law a abill bill passed by the current Utah State legislature legislature legislature legis legis- lature making It unlawful to use the telephone for the purpose of harassing Intimidating terrifying terrifying terrifying terri terri- or otherwise of offending fending an another another another an- an other person parson BY PASSING this bill Utah joins an increasing number of ot states which have enacted legislation legislation legislation legis legis- lation to prohibit using the telephone telephone telephone tele tele- phone for annoyance calls caUs Most recently both Idaho and Arizona have passed similar state laws Edward C. C Allen manager for Mountain States Telephone de described described described de- de scribed the new law as extremely extremely extremely ex helpful in protecting our customers from the harassment harassment harassment har har- and fear of sick telephone tele- tele phone calls THOUGH THE telephone company has been highly successful successful successful suc suc- in using modern electronic electronic electronic elec elec- equipment to identify of offenders offenders offenders of- of fenders law enforcement agencies agencies agencies agen agen- cies have been severely hampered hampered ham- ham in the past Prior to the passage of the new state law only municipal ordinances specifically specifically specifically prohibited annoyance calls I The bill expressly states that thata a person Is in violation of this law if the annoyance call is either made or received within the state of Utah I FURTHER THE law prohibits prohibits prohibits pro pro- hibits the use of obscene lewd or profane language any threat of harm to the persons or property property property prop prop- erty of the household called and any disturbing of the peace or of the right of privacy in that household whether or not conversation conversation conversation con con- conI I ensues False statements regarding injury death or other activities of the household called or any attempts to terrify intimidate harass or annoy are also pro pro- I A FIRST violation of the law constitutes a misdemeanor can 0 r punishable by up to a fine and six months in jail Subsequent Subsequent Subsequent quent violations are regarded as a felony with the offender subject to Imprisonment in the state prison for up to three years and a fine up to 1000 |