Genesis Health Clubs agrees to pay $15,000 for violating the Kansas No Call Act

Genesis Health Clubs has agreed to pay $15,000 for violating the Kansas No Call Act, the Kansas Attorney General’s Office said Friday.

The 9-page consent judgment, which was signed by company president Rodney Steven II, says the company violated the law by making “unsolicited consumer telephone calls to Kansas consumers whose telephone numbers are listed on the National Do Not Call Registry” and “failed to have a written policy and practice for the maintenance and use of an internal do-not-call list.” The health club, after the start of the investigation, “expended significant time and resources” to create a system to help comply with the law, the document says.

“The attorney general’s Consumer Protection Division began investigating Genesis after receiving complaints from Kansas consumers about receiving unsolicited telemarketing calls,” the AG’s office said in a news release. “The complaints alleged that company employees were calling Kansas consumers on the Do-Not-Call registry.”

The ruling was made in Shawnee County District Court.

Besides the $15,000 payout, the health club agreed to quickly resolve issues around “billing after canceling” complaints and not take payment information from people on offers that say “free,” “won” or “trial” membership, the document says.

Brothers Rodney and Brandon Steven are partners in the business. The brothers own 50 health clubs, car dealerships, hockey teams and a steakhouse.