Spokane7
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January 31, 2012 in Idaho
North Idaho senator pushes ‘simple’ texting ban
BOISE - At the urging of its chairman, Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d’Alene, the Idaho Senate Transportation Committee today voted unanimously to introduce legislation to ban texting while driving, making it an infraction.
Hammond said the bill is needed “because of great concern among the driving public for an activity that 10 years ago didn’t even exist, and that is texting.” He said, “It’s fine to text, but it’s not fine to text and drive at the same time. It’s quite a danger.”
Idaho lawmakers have struggled to pass such a ban for the past two years without success.
“They’ve all gotten hung up over issues of language and enforcement,” Hammond said. “The attempt with this bill is to make it very simple and straightforward and easy to understand. The bill defines what texting is, and says if you are driving and texting, it’s an infraction, and if caught you will be cited and fined. It’s that simple and straightforward.”
The measure now will be assigned a bill number and can be scheduled for a public hearing; another bill banning texting while driving, SB 1252, already has been introduced as a personal bill by Democratic Sens. Les Bock and Elliot Werk of Boise and Rep. Elfreda Higgins, D-Garden City.
Hammond is co-sponsoring the new bill with Senate Health & Welfare Chairwoman Patti Anne Lodge, R-Huston
Eked-out win teaches Idaho Democrat a lesson 
charshe on January 31 at 2:44 p.m.
It should pass now that a Republican is sponsoring it. Pathetic that it took so long for one of them to catch on to the dangers of texting and driving.
oneanddone on January 31 at 4:23 p.m.
Won’t pass. Too much business influence in Boise, no matter who proposes this. The best I would expect is for them to pass something on the order of a “request not to text.”
greenlibertarian on January 31 at 4:48 p.m.
There’s no “inattentive driving” violation on the books? Doesn’t every Judge who would deal with this consider it prima facie evidence that if Officer Friendly swears to God he saw you texting and driving, that’s it then, elements of the crime proved?
Codywiench on January 31 at 7:51 p.m.
It’s unenforceable!…..is what our idiot leadership will say. Seriously, I’m just fed up with that excuse.
Auntie_Mayhem on January 31 at 10:33 p.m.
Good. Where is the text of this proposal, so that constituents might view it?
Spudbob on February 02 at 12:29 p.m.
You can review the text at the following address: http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/legislation/2012/S1274.htm