Are you bothered by the hundreds of advertising flyers that appear in your mailbox each year? For a fax machine owner, electronic junk mail can be just as annoying.

But a bill before a state Senate committee would outlaw the practice.

The Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee is now considering action on a junk fax bill passed by the state House of Representatives March 27. Violators would face a fine up to $300.

Lois S. Hagarty, R-Montgomery, proposed the legislation to the house State Government Committee on March 13, 1989 because she knew of states that have similar regulations pending.

Consumers have been receiving unsolicited restaurant menus and other advertisements through facsimile machines, Hagarty said, defining fax junk mail.

"I thought that before an entire industry crops up making money using the fax machines, I would attempt to get this intrusion out of our lives," she said.

Similar efforts to curtail unsolicited sales calls by the telephone have failed because of powerful lobbying by the businesses that make the calls, Hagarty said.

Executive Suite, a State College facsimile transmission service at 240 S. Pugh St., sometimes receives junk mail such as advertisements, said Manager Warren Coleman.

"I am bothered by people sending junk mail because it uses up fax paper which costs money," he said. Coleman is glad the legislation was proposed.

"It's a good bill because people can abuse the fax machine," he said. "Someone can send numerous faxes not wanted by the receiver."

The University's Department of Public Information reports it does not receive any fax junk mail.

"Receiving junk mail has never been a problem with the department," said Mike Bezilla, Development of Communications manager. "I heard of the problem but wasn't aware of the bill's legislation."

Gnomon Copy, 130 W. College Ave., also has not experienced junk faxes. "We only receive mail that is sent to us for the public," said Manager Wayne Pawell.

And Kinko's, 224 W. College Ave., and Kopease, 436 E. College Ave., said its businesses also have not received junk fax mail.

An exception to the bill allows for companies that have a prior contractual and business relationship to send out unsolicited fax messages.

Four similar bills concerning the misuse of the fax machines are pending in California, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Washington. Connecticut and Maryland have enacted such laws.