11/28/06-A bill in the General Assembly to require all drivers in the state to keep their hands off the phone has been sidelined.
A provision was added to a bill in the Senate that called for banning hand-held cell phone use while driving. The effort was approved by a vote of 33-16. However, House lawmakers later removed the provision from HB1631 essentially killing its chances of becoming law before the regular session wraps up Thursday, Nov. 30.
The cell-phone provision allowed for drivers to talk on phones equipped with a “hands-free” device.
Violators would have faced $250 fines. They could only have been pulled over for another violation, such as speeding, before they could have been ticketed for talking on the phone.
Emergency calls would have been exempted.
Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, has vowed to revive the effort during the new session that begins Jan. 2.
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