MA H3179

Bill

Requiring the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving

Introduced
01/22/2019

In Committee
01/22/2019

Crossed Over

Passed

Dead
12/31/2020

Introduced Session

191st General Court

Bill Summary

Relative to requiring the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving. Transportation.

AI Summary

This bill amends the existing laws in Massachusetts to require the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving. It prohibits operators of motor vehicles from using a mobile telephone or any handheld device capable of accessing the internet to compose, send, or read electronic messages or access mobile applications, except to perform a single tap or swipe to activate, deactivate, or initiate hands-free navigation. The bill provides an affirmative defense if the use of a mobile telephone was for the purpose of reporting an emergency, such as a disabled vehicle, the need for medical attention, or the presence of a disabled vehicle or accident on the roadway.

Committee Categories

Transportation and Infrastructure

Sponsors (79)

Jim Arciero (D), Ruth Balser (D), Christine Barber (D), John Barrett (D), David Biele (D), Natalie Blais (D), Paul Brodeur (D), Dan Carey (D), Gerry Cassidy (D), Tackey Chan (D), Michelle Ciccolo (D), Mike Connolly (D), Brendan Crighton (D), Claire Cronin (D), Daniel Cullinane (D), Josh Cutler (D), Mike Day (D), Marjorie Decker (D), Paul Donato (D), Shawn Dooley (R), Michelle DuBois (D), Carolyn Dykema (D), Lori Ehrlich (D), Jamie Eldridge (D), Paul Feeney (D), Dylan Fernandes (D), Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D), Carole Fiola (D), Sean Garballey (D), Denise Garlick (D), Carmine Gentile (D), Susan Gifford (R), Ken Gordon (D), Tami Gouveia (D), Pat Haddad (D), Rich Haggerty (D), Jim Hawkins (D), Jonathan Hecht (D), Natalie Higgins (D), Bradford Hill (R), Kate Hogan (D), Russell Holmes (D), Dan Hunt (D), Louis Kafka (D), Hannah Kane (R), Mary Keefe (D), Kay Khan (D), John Lawn (D), Eric Lesser (D), Jack Lewis (D), Jason Lewis (D), David Linsky (D), Jay Livingstone (D), Joan Lovely (D), Adrian Madaro (D), John Mahoney (D), Elizabeth Malia (D), Paul Mark (D), Paul McMurtry (D), Christina Minicucci (D), Liz Miranda (D), Matt Muratore (R), Brian Murray (D), David Nangle (D), Patrick O'Connor (R), Sarah Peake (D), Alice Peisch (D), Maria Robinson (D), Dave Rogers (D), John Rogers (D), Danny Ryan (D), Jon Santiago (D), Tom Stanley (D), Paul Tucker (D), Steve Ultrino (D), Aaron Vega (D), John Velis (D), Tommy Vitolo (D), Joseph Wagner (D),

Last Action

Accompanied H3149 (on 04/11/2019)

Official Document

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H3179

(25 Companion Bills)

Version:

Document Type	Source Location
State Bill Page	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H3179
Bill	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H3179.pdf

Bill	Bill Name	Last Action	Type
H1087	Relative to motor vehicle service contracts	Accompanied a new draft, see H4810	Similar To
H1529	Establishing civil penalties for littering from a motor vehicle	Accompanied a study order, see H5081	Similar To
H2668	Relative to the enhanced disposition of surplus motor vehicles owned by the commonwealth or authorities established by the state	Accompanied a study order, see H5103	Similar To
H2956	Further regulating junior operator licenses	Accompanied a study order, see H4772	Similar To
H2993	To increase safety on public ways	Read second and ordered to a third reading	Similar To
H3002	Relative to autocycle motor vehicle definition and operating requirements	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means	Similar To
H3007	Relative to low-speed vehicles	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means	Similar To
H3082	Relative to expired licenses	Read second and ordered to a third reading	Similar To
H3137	To enhance the license plate system of the Commonwealth	Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting, the question being on acceptance	Similar To
H3138	Allowing a service branch designation on license plates for disabled veterans	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means	Similar To
H3149	Requiring the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving	New draft substituted, see H3793	Replaced by
H3270	Relative to failure to yield to police pursuit	Accompanied a study order, see H5081	Similar To
H3385	Relative to the reckless operation of motor vehicles	Accompanied a study order, see H5081	Similar To
H359	Relative to used police cars sold at auction	Accompanied a study order, see H5043	Similar To
H3793	Requiring the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving	Reported by H4203	Similar To
H3794	Amendment Order for H3793, An Act requiring the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving	Adopted, see H3149	Similar To
H4203	Requiring the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving	Signed by the Governor, Chapter 122 of the Acts of 2019	Similar To
S2072	Relative to the registration and insurance of motorized scooters in the Commonwealth	Ought NOT to pass (under Joint Rule 10) and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session	Similar To
S2112	To strengthen the review process for a medically conditioned license to operate a motor vehicle	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means	Similar To
S2113	Relative to peer to peer car sharing	Ought NOT to pass (under Joint Rule 10) and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session	Similar To
S2119	Relative to the use of video screens while operating a motor vehicle	Accompanied a study order, see S2560	Similar To
S2192	Relative to gender identity on Massachusetts identification	New draft substituted, see S2203	Similar To
S2203	Relative to gender identity on Massachusetts identification	Reprinted as amended, see S2213	Similar To
S2213	Relative to gender identity on Massachusetts identification	Read; and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means	Similar To
S2333	Allowing for a Legion of Merit license plate	Accompanied a study order, see S2560	Similar To

Bill

Bill Name

Last Action

Type

H1087

Relative to motor vehicle service contracts

Accompanied a new draft, see H4810

Similar To

H1529

Establishing civil penalties for littering from a motor vehicle

Accompanied a study order, see H5081

Similar To

H2668

Relative to the enhanced disposition of surplus motor vehicles owned by the commonwealth or authorities established by the state

Accompanied a study order, see H5103

Similar To

H2956

Further regulating junior operator licenses

Accompanied a study order, see H4772

Similar To

H2993

To increase safety on public ways

Read second and ordered to a third reading

Similar To

H3002

Relative to autocycle motor vehicle definition and operating requirements

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means

Similar To

H3007

Relative to low-speed vehicles

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means

Similar To

H3082

Relative to expired licenses

Read second and ordered to a third reading

Similar To

H3137

To enhance the license plate system of the Commonwealth

Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting, the question being on acceptance

Similar To

H3138

Allowing a service branch designation on license plates for disabled veterans

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means

Similar To

H3149

Requiring the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving

New draft substituted, see H3793

Replaced by

H3270

Relative to failure to yield to police pursuit

Accompanied a study order, see H5081

Similar To

H3385

Relative to the reckless operation of motor vehicles

Accompanied a study order, see H5081

Similar To

H359

Relative to used police cars sold at auction

Accompanied a study order, see H5043

Similar To

H3793

Requiring the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving

Reported by H4203

Similar To

H3794

Amendment Order for H3793, An Act requiring the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving

Adopted, see H3149

Similar To

H4203

Requiring the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving

Signed by the Governor, Chapter 122 of the Acts of 2019

Similar To

S2072

Relative to the registration and insurance of motorized scooters in the Commonwealth

Ought NOT to pass (under Joint Rule 10) and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session

Similar To

S2112

To strengthen the review process for a medically conditioned license to operate a motor vehicle

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means

Similar To

S2113

Relative to peer to peer car sharing

Ought NOT to pass (under Joint Rule 10) and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session

Similar To

S2119

Relative to the use of video screens while operating a motor vehicle

Accompanied a study order, see S2560

Similar To

S2192

Relative to gender identity on Massachusetts identification

New draft substituted, see S2203

Similar To

S2203

Relative to gender identity on Massachusetts identification

Reprinted as amended, see S2213

Similar To

S2213

Relative to gender identity on Massachusetts identification

Read; and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means

Similar To

S2333

Allowing for a Legion of Merit license plate

Accompanied a study order, see S2560

Similar To

Bill > H3179

MA H3179

summary

Introduced Session

Bill Summary

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Sponsors (79)

Last Action

Official Document

bill text

bill summary

bill summary

bill summary