[Scan-DC] OT Cell Phones and Hands free in VA

Fri, 14 Mar 2003 14:13:23 -0500

Here is what's going on:
--------------------------------------
Virginia
Bill Number: SB 906

Prohibits the use of hand-held cell
 phones while driving. Imposes fines
 of $25 for violations. Requires that
 law enforcement agencies track cell
 phone involvement in motor vehicle
 crashes.

Sen. Yvonne Miller (D)

Status
Introduced 1/8/03. To Senate
Transportation Committee
1/8/03. In Senate Transportation
Committee 1/16/03 passed by
indefinitely.

Modified/ Added
Active
Tue, January, 14, 2003
Mon, February, 24, 2003

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Virginia
Bill Number: HB 1910

 Prohibits drivers from engaging in
 any distracting activity while driving.
 "Distracting activity" is defined as
 responding to events, persons, or
 objects inside or outside the motor
 vehicle that are not related to the
 safe operation of the vehicle. This
 includes, but is not limited to:
 personal grooming, food or beverage
 consumption, use of an electronic
 device, reading, and interacting with
 passengers or pets.

Rep. James Almand      (D)

Introduced 1/8/03.
To House Transportation
Committee 1/8/03.
In House Transportation
Committee tabled 1/21/03.

Modified/Added
Active
Tue, January, 14, 2003
Tue, February, 18, 2003
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Dec. 1998 - A cellphone ban that only applied to school bus drivers was
introduced.-Bill failed in Dec. 1998

Passed a bill in Aug. 2001 to look for any impact on safety by the use of a cell phone
while driving.

State Action

Several states have preempted the regulation of wireless phone use by local jurisdictions.
Florida,
Mississippi, Oregon and Oklahoma all specifically prohibit local jurisdictions from
enacting
restrictions on mobile phones in motor vehicles. Additionally, the statewide hand-held ban
in
New York preempted similar bans passed in three New York counties.
States also have taken an active role in improving data collection. Seventeen states now
require
law enforcement officers to collect cell phone use data on crash report forms, up from
just two
states four years ago (see figure 1). Additionally, legislatures in six states�Delaware,
Louisiana,
New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia�have passed measures to study the effects
of
wireless phones on traffic safety. In December 2001, the Pennsylvania Joint Commission
released
a thorough study of wireless phone safety in response to a mandate by the legislature.

http://www.ncsl.org/programs/esnr/2002statelegupdate.pdf

john wilson wrote:

> Richard,
>
>    This is bogus.  There is no such law.  I wish there was but none so far.
>
> RICHARD ROWLAND wrote:
>
> > I may be mistaken but I believe Virginia laws take effect in January and
> > July
> > maybe I can search in the code of virginia but so far this is news to me and
> > I hear a good bit of what goes on in the General Assembly
> >
> > Richard in Richmond
> >
> > >Someone told me today that they were stopped in Virginia for driving using
> > a cell phone without a hands free adapter.  They were told the law took
> > effect Monday but they were only going to give out warnings for a couple of
> > weeks.   Did they pass this law, and does anyone have a website cite showing
> > this?
> > >
> > >Thanks
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >Scan-DC mailing list
> > >[email protected]
> > >http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/scan-dc
> > >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
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