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Attorney General Zoeller Looks To Consumer Complaints For Legislative Suggestions

Brandon Smith
/
Indiana Public Broadcasting

Attorney General Greg Zoeller plans to tackle some of Indiana’s top consumer complaints with his legislative proposals for the 2015 session. 

The Attorney General’s office received nearly 1,000 complaints about home repair or construction scams last year, the third-largest consumer complaint category. 

Attorney General Greg Zoeller says he’s proposing legislation that would establish a voluntary registration system for what he calls the “good actors” – contractors who put up a bond with the AG’s office.

He says the public could then see the list of those contractors.

“We’re not trying to make it harder for legitimate businesses; we’re trying to make it easier for consumers to identify the legitimate businesses,” Zoeller says.

Zoeller’s proposals would also expand the Senior Consumer Protection Act, which enhances penalties for scammers who intentionally prey on seniors.  The law would include greater fines for those who target veterans, spouses of deceased veterans and Hoosiers with disabilities. 

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.