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Tougher Texting While Driving Ban Heads To House Floor
February 2, 2018
A bill that would let police pull over motorists for texting while driving cruised through the House Government Accountability Committee on Thursday and is now ready to go to the House floor.
The proposal (HB 33), filed by Rep. Emily Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, and Rep. Jackie Toledo, R-Tampa, would make texting while driving a “primary” offense.
Under current law, it is a “secondary” offense, with motorists only cited if they are pulled over for other infractions such as running a red light or speeding.
The House committee, which unanimously approved the bill, added an amendment to require law-enforcement officers to separately record the race and ethnicity of people ticketed for texting while driving. That matches a requirement in the Senate version of the bill (SB 90).
“We just want to keep a record of what’s transpiring out there,” said Rep. Barbara Watson, a Miami Gardens Democrat who sponsored the amendment. When the reporting requirement was added last week to the Senate bill, Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, said the data collection would help determine if minorities are disproportionately ticketed for texting while driving.
The bills would allow motorists to make phone calls on electronic devices while driving. Also, the devices could be used for such things as getting directions.
The Senate proposal, sponsored by Gainesville Republican Keith Perry, has cleared three panels and awaits an appearance before the Appropriations Committee.
by The News Service of Florida
Comments
9 Responses to “Tougher Texting While Driving Ban Heads To House Floor”
Thanks, D.G. that answers several of my questions
Text of current bill:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?chapter=0316§ion=305&DocumentType=StatRev&PublicationType=S&BillId=61753
It would be nice if the text of the proposed law were published. Does this include your cars factory equipped features that read and write texts for you? And how exactly does an officer ascertain whether or not you are texting, typing in an address, tuning in to Pandora, searching the web, etc. Law enforcement cannot access your devices without your permission or a warrant. Does this law include a provision to record the race or ethnicity of the officer also?
White, black, yellow, red, green or aliens with all thumbs – who cares what ethnic group is doing the texting while driving – again this will accomplish NOTHING with regards to TWD which by the way continues to cause accidents/take lives – texting while driving is distracted driving and it impairs a drivers ability to focus on what they should be doing OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE SAFELY. You politicians are a sorry.
Texting and driving should be equivalent in criminal charges, as a DUI..
@I’d guess not many 50 y.o. & up are texting while driving….our thumbs
ain’t double jointed or however the younger folk text so fast….as far as age….you would be surprised driving a truck lets you see things up high. There are way more 50 and up texting than you think trust me and it not minorities doing it either (very few). The sheriff department needs to ride with me just day and they can fill a ticket book up. I almost got rear ended the other day in my pick up with some using a big I-pad. Actually swerved in my lane, if I wouldn’t have sped up he would have. Just be defensive out there driving and they will solve a lot of issues in this county.
Thanks
If minorities disproportionately text than they should get more tickets. If non-minorities disproportionately text then they should get more tickets. This bill automatically assumes that law enforcement is racist. Shame on those politicians that believe that. I will say I support this bill and I do not text while driving.
I’d guess not many 50 y.o. & up are texting while driving….our thumbs
ain’t double jointed or however the younger folk text so fast