Bill > S2093

This bill, titled "To prohibit the use of mobile telephones while operating a motor vehicle," aims to update existing laws to prevent distracted driving by expanding the definition of a "mobile telephone" to include any "electronic device" and by explicitly prohibiting the use of such devices unless they are operated in a "hands-free" mode, meaning the driver does not have to physically hold the device. The bill clarifies that drivers cannot touch or hold these devices while driving, except for briefly activating or deactivating features, and specifically bans using them to send, read, or compose electronic messages or to input information into navigation systems. It also establishes a presumption of violation if a driver holds a mobile electronic device near their head while driving, though it provides an exception for when the vehicle is stopped and not in a travel lane. Penalties for violations include fines of $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second, and $500 for subsequent offenses, with third and subsequent violations also counting as moving violations that could affect insurance rates. Importantly, the bill includes an affirmative defense for using a mobile electronic device for "emergency purposes," such as reporting a disabled vehicle, needing medical assistance, requiring emergency services, or alerting others to an accident or obstruction in the road.