Wichita ? A New Jersey flower business that prompted a Kansas law banning out-of-town companies from presenting themselves as hometown businesses is still listed in telephone books across the state under such names as Derby Florist, Florist of Haysville and Florist in Wellington.

And the person who sponsored the measure in the Legislature six years ago, Sen. Greta Goodwin, D-Winfield, said she thinks Flowers With Gifted Elegance is not complying with the business disclosure law. She also said Kansas prosecutors don’t seem to be doing much about it.

“That law’s been on the books since July 1 of 2000 and we can’t get the attorney general’s office to enforce it,” she said.

Jan Lunsford, a spokesman for Attorney General Phill Kline, told The Wichita Eagle the office has started investigating complaints about Flowers With Gifted Elegance’s activities. He would not provide details, saying the office does not comment on the status of ongoing investigations.

The owner of Flowers With Gifted Elegance, of Randolph, N.J., identified in the Delaware court records as Thomas Meola, did not return a phone call from The Associated Press seeking comment Sunday.

Goodwin said she will request an investigation of the company when Paul Morrison, the attorney general-elect, takes office in January.

“It is something we would pursue,” Morrison, now the Johnson County district attorney, told The Eagle. “My understanding is that is a violation of the Consumer Protection Act.”

Steve Rarrick, who headed the consumer affairs office of former Attorney General Carla Stovall and now works for the Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board, a state agency representing telephone consumers, helped draft the disclosure law.

He said the New Jersey business makes a service charge for simply taking and forwarding orders to local florists or national services. Customers receive less for their money than they would if they dealt directly with a local florist as they intended, he said.

State law requires any business using a city’s name in print advertising to be located in that city or publish its full address in its ads. Out-of-state businesses are required to include their state in the address.

According to The Eagle, some of Flowers With Gifted Elegance’s listings show its full address – 390 Route 10, Randolph, N.J. – but many of its listings show no address or an incomplete or false address. For example, Feist Yellow Book directories in eastern and east-central Kansas list the business as being in Overland Park, Gladstone and Emporia.

Darren Brandt, a spokesman for Feist Yellow Book, said the company was unaware of the nature of the listings until contacted by The Eagle.

“We will certainly delete the listings in our next edition,” he said.

Elaine Layton, owner of Derby Floral, said people frequently confuse her 44-year-old florist shop with the New Jersey firm, listed as “Derby Florist” and “Derby Flowers” in the phone book.

“People are really irate when they get their flowers,” she said. “One guy just came in here really mad. : He thought they were connected to me.”