State Rep Joe Mioli, D-Westport has introduced a bill to extend the state do-not-call list to robo-calls. It’s not a surprise that he’s from the fourth congressional district, which was heavily targeted by many groups advocating positions or candidates in last year’s elections. Brian Lockhart’s Norwalk Advocate article continues:

State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said he thinks the measure “would be fully constitutional,” and he will work with any legislator to fine-tune bills to avoid legal obstacles.

“The more narrowly it can be tailored, the less impact there is on First Amendment rights,” Blumenthal said. “People are entitled to protect their homes and families from certain intrusions. People can bar political candidates from coming into their homes.”

According to a November report by Connecticut’s Office of Legislative Research, six states - Arkansas, Indiana, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming - have passed laws regulating political robo-calls.

“Indiana, Minnesota and North Dakota laws have withstood constitutional challenges alleging free speech and commerce clause violations,” Office of Legislative Research Chief Attorney Sandra Norman-Eady said. “In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court Oct. 10 declined to hear an appeal by a Virginia political polling firm challenging North Dakota’s law.”

Candidates or campaign workers involved in some of last fall’s hotly contested congressional races have mixed views on curbing the recorded political calls.

U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Bridgeport, said he is for the measure and is pursuing a similar federal law. Supporters of Shays and his Democratic opponent, former Westport First Selectwoman Diane Farrell, used the calls in their battle for the 4th Congressional District seat.

“So-called robo-calls were a source of misleading information and a nuisance to Fairfield County residents in recent election cycles,” Shays said in an e-mailed statement. “I am a co-sponsor of legislation to revise the (federal) Do Not Call registry regulations to include robo-calls (and) am pleased legislators are seeking similar solutions on the state level.”

U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., who faced a tough challenge from Democrat Ned Lamont of Greenwich, said he would support regulations for political robo-calls as long as they do not violate the Constitution.