Iowa House Panel OKs Hand-Held Device Ban For Motorists
Feb. 24--DES MOINES -- A House panel Thursday endorsed banning the use of hand-held electronic devices while driving but agreed motorists who violated the new law would only get a warning for the first year before officers would start issuing $30 tickets for the offense.
Rep. Gary Worthan, Storm Lake, chair of a House Transportation subcommittee, said the phase-in enforcement approach was needed to garner support in the 59-member GOP House majority to approve House Study Bill 139, which now moves to full committee for expected action next week.
"We want law enforcement to vigorously enforce these warnings," said Worthan.
The proposed legislation, which won 3-0 subcommittee support with Worthan's amendment, would ban the use of hand-held electronic devices while driving. Representatives of auto manufacturers also asked that the bill be modified to allow for future advancements like voice-activated texting or built-in navigation that would not require setting by hand while driving.
"I am all in favor of this," said Rep. Robert Bacon, R-Slater. "If it can protect life, save life, it's common sense."
The House bill expands Iowa's current anti-texting law by barring use of an electronic communication device while driving, but providing an exception for using a device in a hands-free mode. Iowa would become the 16th state to make some changes, backers said.
Supporters that included representatives of law enforcement, safety agencies, automakers, insurance carriers and communication providers said the hand-held prohibition was a preferred approach to merely making texting a primary rather than a secondary offense as some have proposed.
"It's just not enforceable unless it's hands-free," said Susan Cameron, a lobbyist for the Iowa Sheriff's & Deputies Association, who noted that 68 percent of all traffic deaths in last five years in Iowa involved lane departures, "which is a sign of distracted driving and I think that's a real wake up," she added.
"We believe that it's time to put your hands back on the wheel and put your phones down while you're driving," Cameron told the subcommittee. "It's time for us to put public safety ahead of convenience on this."
Opposition to the bill came from civil libertarians and NAACP representatives who wanted protections added to prevent law officers from using the new provisions to make stops based upon racial profiling. The measure must pass the full committee next week to clear a "funnel" requirement for non-money bills to clear at least one standing committee to remain eligible for consideration this session.
Sen. Tim Kapucian, R-Keystone, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said he would be willing to consider the one-year grace period for tickets if that's what it took to secure House passage.
"I would look at that. If that's what it takes to move the needle, I think we need to continue to look at this," he said.
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