On June 30, 2005, new federal regulations were scheduled to take effect which prohibit companies (including tax-exempt associations) from sending faxes with commercial content to recipients unless the company first obtained the written consent of the recipient. Although this deadline was originally scheduled to occur in the fall of 2003, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has now delayed the effective date three times: first until January 1, 2005; then until June 30, 2005, and now until January 9, 2006.

I’ve never been a fan of this type of marketing but I think it’s interesting that Congress can’t pull the trigger on the Junk Fax Act.