New Jersey state Senator Jon Bramnick has introduced two bills aimed at improving government responsiveness and accountability by requiring government offices to have a live person answering the phone, saying New Jersey residents should have an easier time reaching a live person when contacting government offices.
“I know my fellow New Jerseyans are as frustrated as I am when they call a government office and can’t speak to a live person or get help in a reasonable amount of time,” Bramnick said in a statements, citing calls to the Board of Public Utilities about utility bills, the Department of Labor about unemployment benefits and inquiries about new ABC regulations.
The first bill would require covered state and local government offices that use automated telephone answering systems to provide callers with the option of pressing zero to speak with a live operator or leave a recorded message during normal business hours…