Telemarketing sales rule: Notice of proposed rulemaking, announcement of Public Forum, published Aug. 19, 2009, written comments by Oct. 9, 2009 [TEXT] The Federal Trade Commission plans to amend its Telemarketing Sales Rule to address the sale of debt relief services. The agency seeks public comment on the proposed amendments, which would: define the term “debt relief service;” ensure that, regardless of the medium through which such services are initially advertised, telemarketing transactions involving debt relief services would be subject to the TSR; mandate certain disclosures and prohibit misrepresentations in the telemarketing of debt relief services; and prohibit any entity from requesting or receiving payment for debt relief services until such services have been fully performed and documented to the consumer. This notice of proposed rulemaking invites written comments on all issues raised by the proposed amendments and seeks answers to the specific questions in Section VIII of the linked document. This action also contains an invitation to participate in a public forum, to be held following the close of the comment period, which will afford agency staff and interested parties an opportunity to discuss the proposed amendments as well as any issues raised in comments in response thereto. The agency will post the date, time, and place of the public forum on its website within 30 days of Aug. 19.