Kentuckians who want on the popular “no call” list for telemarketers now must sign up by May 15 — 2 1/2 weeks earlier than originally announced.

        The change is to give the Kentucky attorney general's office enough time to forward names to telemarketers making calls in Kentucky and have them update their lists, said Attorney General Ben Chandler. Kentucky's tough new telemarketing law takes effect on July 15.

HOW TO SIGN UP

Go to www.kycall0.com or call the Kentucky attorney general's office, which maintains the “no call” list, at 1-866-KYCALL-0 or 1-866-592-2550. In both cases, all a Kentucky resident has to do is punch in his or her phone number to sign up.

        On Friday, Kentucky's no call list had 444,000 names, said Barbara Hadley-Smith, a spokeswoman for the attorney general. With Kentucky's population at a little more than 4 million in the 2000 census count, nearly 10 percent of the state's residents have signed up for the list already.

        That group included 40,000 registrants on Thursday alone, one day after Mr. Chandler visited Northern Kentucky and other areas to publicize the new “no call” deadline.

        Telephone solicitors have sometimes targeted senior citizens, who sometimes buy products or services they don't need, Mr. Chandler said.

        “We have worked hard to strengthen the law so that Kentuckians can have privacy in their homes,” Mr. Chandler said. “Now we want them to sign up before the May 15 deadline so they can be protected by the law.”

        Residents who miss the May 15 deadline will have until Aug. 15 to add their names to the list, which telemarketers will use starting Oct. 15.

        Kentucky residents who previously signed up for the attorney general's list don't have to sign up again unless their phone numbers have changed, Ms. Hadley-Smith said.

        “Nobody will be eliminated,” Ms. Hadley-Smith said. “The list will just be updated.'

        The new law has four exemptions, replacing one that had 23 loopholes.

        After July 15, telemarketers cannot call people on the “no call” list unless the call is about an existing debt or con tract, the consumer has an existing or prior relationship with the business, the consumer has given permission for the call, or it is a business-to-business call.

        The telemarketing law does not apply to calls from charities seeking only donations.

        Starting in June, anyone who's signed up for Kentucky's “no call” list will receive information on how to make complaints, once the new “no call” law takes effect, Ms. Hadley-Smith said.

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