The General Assembly finds that:
- (1) the people of this State, from time to time, need contact with State agencies because of problems or concerns;
- (2) often when a person calls a State agency that person needs to talk to an individual, and it is not necessarily convenient or practical for that person to leave a message or to follow an automated menu;
- (3) the purpose of State agencies is to serve the people of this State in a manner that is as accessible, efficient, and responsive as possible;
- (4) when a person calls a State agency and receives an automated operator or an automated menu instead of a live operator, often that person is not able to adequately receive assistance or services; and
- (5) the number of people calling a State agency and not getting the assistance or services that they are entitled to because the State agency does not have a live operator answering incoming phone calls grows by the day.
(Source: P.A. 94-620, eff. 1-1-07.)