It’s almost inevitable.

If you own a telephone, there’s a good chance the phone has rung just as you sit down for a relaxing evening meal.

And the person on the other end probably isn’t your best friend or a relative calling to inquire about your day. Instead, it’s a telemarketer trying to sell you a credit card or something else.

“It has gotten to the point where it, actually, is just funny,” Lansing resident Shawn Hardy said. “Now, whenever they call I do the Jerry Seinfeld thing - ask them, ‘What’s your number? Would you like me to call you while you’re eating dinner?’”

But Hardy soon may not have to do her borrowed comedy bit.

The state House on Thursday approved legislation that is meant to give consumers the opportunity to limit the number of telephone solicitations they receive.

The package of House bills would establish a “do-not-call” list, which consumers could sign up for to reduce telemarketing calls to their home.

“This is a great idea. People have the right not to be interrupted when they don’t want to be,” said Steven Luck, a political economy senior. “They call you at dinner time on purpose.”

The package also would require telephone solicitors to identify the organization they are calling from and include a telephone number where they can be reached, as well as full disclosure of all product information. It would also require the publication of information about signing up for the “do-not-call” list in annual directories.

State Rep. Ken Bradstreet, R-Gaylord, said the legislation’s main purpose is to curb fraudulent telephone solicitations - with the reduction of consumer frustrations as an added bonus.

“There are a number of telephone scams out there. Even the legitimate ones don’t tell you everything they should,” Bradstreet said.

But state Rep. Leon Drolet - the only legislator to vote against the telemarketing bills - said the package unfairly targets businesses and is hypocritical on the part of House members.

“We do the same thing to people,” the Clinton Township Republican said. “We call citizens all the time during our campaigns and often bug them during dinner.

“I am completely sympathetic to the consumer-annoyance factor, but there are other ways to stop being harassed by telemarketers. I use caller ID, for example.”

The legislation now must be approved by the state Senate. The body is expected to take up the issue when it reconvenes this fall.