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The bill by Republican Rep. Kurt Olson would ban the used of recorded messages meant to influence voters about a candidate or proposition.

Automated messaging, common in recent campaigns, is relatively inexpensive compared to mass mailings.

Olson's bill seeks to amend state law covering telephone solicitation.

Current law already prohibits phone solicitation of anyone identified in the telephone directory as not wanting to receive such calls, or who has registered with the national do-not-call registry.

Olson's amendment would add automated political solicitations to the list of prohibited calls. In doing so, it would neutralize another provision that currently exempts calls limited to soliciting the expression of ideas, opinions or votes.

Olson's measure would not affect live political calls.

The measure has been sent to the House State Affairs and Judiciary committees for hearings.

Olson said some automated telephone calling systems are especially devious.

"There are particular machines that will disconnect when they get a voice on the line," he said. "They target answering machines. They're extremely invasive."

During his own campaign last fall, automated phone calls were a major complaint from voters, Olson said. That may have been true in other races, he said, because he's seeing some support among his colleagues.

"So far, I haven't ran into anybody that has any problems with it," he said.