Texting bill heads to state Senate

By MARC KOVAC

mkovac@dixcom.com

COLUMBUS

The Ohio House has signed off on legislation that would ban writing or reading electronic text messages while driving.

House Bill 415, sponsored by Democratic Reps. Nancy Garland, from the Columbus area, and Michael DeBose, from Cleveland, passed on a final vote of 85-12 Wednesday and now heads to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.

The bill prohibits drivers from writing, sending or reading text messages on electronic communications devices, including wireless telephones, personal digital assistants and computers.

“What we ultimately have here is a bill that will save lives,” Garland said in urging support for the bill.

“Texting and driving do not mix. This high-risk practice drastically increases the chances of accident, injury and death for drivers who text and those around them.

The prohibition would not cover cell-phone calls or texting while a vehicle is parked.

Additionally, exemptions to the ban are included for drivers using devices in response to emergencies or by law enforcement.

And it would not include drivers who are “reading, selecting or entering a name or telephone number in an electronic wireless communications device for the purpose of making or receiving a telephone call,” according to an analysis by the state’s Legislative Service Commission.

Violators would face misdemeanor charges and up to $150 in fines.

But lawmakers included a six-month grace period, during which time individuals would receive warnings if caught texting while driving.

Some House members expressed dissatisfaction with the bill, however. Rep. Matt Huffman, a Republican from Lima, said the bill doesn’t cover people using global positioning devices or other potentially dangerous activities while driving.

Rep. Barbara Sears, a Republican from Sylvania, added, “Texting is distracting, but so is a whole host of other things that we do while driving. ... We already have laws on the books that deal with these issues.”