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

[Kenneth Fowler]

 It did not survive a vote again this year.    
Kenneth KD4IIW
    On Saturday, March 7, 2020, 07:33:54 AM EST, Richard Rowland via Scan-DC <scan-dc at mailman.qth.net> wrote:  
 
 It is strange the bill makes no mention of GPS devices. Seems like there was 
a previous bill
possibly a year or so back that took notice to exclude  GPS devices.

Richard Rowland
Secretary/Treasurer Emeritus
Richmond Building Trades
richrowland at aol.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joel Kahn" <jrkahn at att.net>
To: "Scan DC" <scan-dc at mailman.qth.net>; "Alan Henney" <alan at henney.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2020 12:19 AM
Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] [Alexandria Radio Club] Virginia bill -- handheld 
device use in vehicles


> Does the bill also exclude police and fire use while driving?
> Joel R Kahn
> Comme dicté à mon chat et envoyé de mon Android.
> (As dictated to my cat and sent from my Android.)

> 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.