[Scan-DC] [Alexandria Radio Club] Virginia bill -- handheld device use in vehicles

[Alan Henney]

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2020 21:39:22 -0500
From: Gary Sessums <kc5qcn at arrl.net>
To: Alexandria Radio Club Reflector
        <alexandriaradioclub at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Virginia bill -- handheld
        device  use in vehicles
Message-ID: <202002260239.01Q2dPtN014571 at sessums.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed


The Virginia General Assembly has passed House Bill 874 and it now
heads to the desk of Governor Ralph Northam, who has voiced support
for the bill.


Current Virginia law prohibits the reading of any email or text
message and manually entering letters or text in such a device as a
means of communicating and holding a personal communications device
while driving in a work zone.


The newly passed bill expands the prohibition to include any person
from holding a handheld personal communications device while driving
a motor vehicle.


Violations of the new measures in HB 874 would result in a fine of
$125 for the first offense and $250 for subsequent offenses.


If a violation occurs in a highway work zone, there would be a
mandatory fee of $250.


The new bill includes an exemption for the use of amateur radio and
citizens band radio.


A copy of the newly passed bill now heading to the Governor can be
viewed on-line at
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+ful+HB874ER+pdf


If signed into law by Virginia Governor Northam, Virginia will become
a hands-free driving state on January 1, 2021.