Legislators are backing a once-failed proposal to make text messaging while driving an illegal act.
Some concerns over technical issues were raised, but no legislator or lobbyist had major objections to legislation proposed by Del. Frank Turner, D-Howard, during a House Environmental Matters Committee meeting Tuesday.
“I’ll vote for the bill,” said Del. Maggie McIntosh, D-Baltimore City.
The bill would make texting a misdemeanor offense subject to a $500 fee.
Turner introduced the bill last year with a handful of sponsors, but was thwarted in committee.
Now he has dozens of co-sponsors, and Del. Jeff Waldstreicher, D-Montgomery, has introduced a similar bill with many co-sponsors as well. McIntosh said it was likely the bills would be combined during committee review.
“I think we have a lot better chance this year,” Turner said. “I think some form of this bill will get committee.”
The State Highway Administration testified in support of the bill.
During the committee hearing, Del. Saqib Ali, D-Montgomery, demonstrated how he has to punch buttons on the screen of his iPhone in order to make a call, and asked whether that was considered texting.
The issue of what constitutes a text is a concern of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which supports the bill so long as it defines texting and confines the offense only to hand-held devices.
“You can come up with a number of scenarios, but the best answer I can give you is that the aim of the bill is to deter people to stop text messaging while driving,” said Turner, who added that a citation for texting would be at the discretion of the officer.
McIntosh said the state should consider banning the use of hand-held phones while driving given the popularity of Bluetooth technology.
Del. Tanya Shewell, R-Carroll, said there was an accident in her county in which a driver failed to stop and was killed because that person was texting.
“We need to make sure this action is outlawed,” she said.
