Bill Would Ban Hand-Held Phones and Texting While Driving

Senator Christine Kaufmann (D - Helena) presented Senate Bill 278 in committee Thursday, which would prohibit hand-held cell phone use and text messaging while driving. The bill would ban both hand held cell phones and texting, but would not ban the use of a hands free devise while driving. The fine for a violation would be $100 dollars.

Sen. Kaufmann was clear that her “intention with this bill is not to make a bunch of arrests, but to send a signal to the public and ask them to comply.” She also said that this bill would not ban the use of 2-way radios, pointing out that many Montana businesses rely on radios for their communication.
Many proponents included the Montana Highway Patrol, Verizon Wireless, GM and other advocate groups and members of the public. The spokeswoman for Verizon wireless promoted a Bluetooth hands-free device while claiming this is “the best one (bill) I’ve ever seen from our companies standpoint.”

A GM spokeswoman came out in “full and enthusiastic support of this bill,” saying it is “excellent, easy to understand and weighs public safety with reasonable common sense exceptions.” Talking on the hand-held phone in the case of an emergency would be one of those exemptions.

Opponents to the bill mostly listed minor problems with the bills language. Willy Buffield a private citizen came “reluctantly opposing this bill,” saying that “we’re making criminals out of young kids talking on the phone.”

Senator Kaufmann pointed out that “40 other countries outside the U.S.” and many other states have passed similar laws. She listed examples from around Montana that involved accidents and deaths due to people talking on hand-held phones or texting on a cell phone. “I think we can save some lives,” she said in her closing arguments.

HB 278 has passed the Senate Highways and Transportation Comittee.