§61-3-24c. Intercepting or monitoring customer telephone calls; penalty.

(a) It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to intercept or monitor, or to attempt to intercept or monitor, the transmission of a message, signal or other communication by telephone between an employee or similar agent of such person, firm or corporation and a customer of such person, firm or corporation unless such person, firm or corporation does all of the following:

(1) Notifies each employee or agent subject to interception or monitoring that their telephone messages are subject to interception or monitoring.

(2) Provides telephone instruments for employee's personal use which are not subject to intercepting or monitoring.

Any person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $200, or imprisoned in the county jail not more than one year, or both fined and imprisoned.

(b) Nothing contained in this section shall require marking of telephone instruments nor require consent to interception or monitoring, in the case of a wiretap or other form of monitoring which is engaged in for the sole purpose of law enforcement and which is lawful in all other respects.

(c) The Public Service Commission shall not issue any rule or regulation requiring or suggesting the monitoring of any message, signal or other communication by telephone to or from any telephone utility customer so as to obtain the content or substance of any such communication.