Automated phone calls generated by political organizations would be required to announce the identity of the call's sponsor, under legislation proposed by Sen. Craig Pridemore, D-Vancouver.

Senate Bill 6089, which was heard today by the Senate Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee that Pridemore chairs, would require sponsors to list their name, city and state in all telephone political advertising that consists of 500 or more identical or substantially similar calls in the 12-month period prior to an election. The requirement would apply regardless of whether the call relates to a candidate or a ballot proposition.

“I find these calls as annoying as anyone else — I don’t even like them when it’s my own voice on the recording,” Pridemore said. “Voters deserve to know who’s making the pitch, whether it’s an actual candidate or proposition sponsor or some outside group acting independently.”

The bill has strong bipartisan support, with 12 Democratic sponsors and six Republican sponsors.

“This is the kind of basic transparency everyone can agree on regardless of their political leanings,” Pridemore said. “Whenever we can do something to help voters avoid being deceived, that’s a good thing.”