Texting while driving ban on teenage drivers is near the finish line

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From AZ Capitol Times:

After years of trying, Sen. Karen Fann, R-Prescott, is steps away from getting her proposal to ban teenage drivers from texting signed into law.

On a seven to one vote, the House Transportation Committee approved Fann’s SB1080 on Wednesday. The bill still needs to go through debate and the vote of the full House.

SB1080 would prohibit drivers with an instructional permit license from using a cell phone while driving except in an emergency. Drivers who have a Class G license, which imposes driving limitations, also may not use a cellphone, except during an emergency or when using a navigation system. However, they may not manually enter destinations into the navigation system while driving.

The legislation makes texting while driving a secondary offense, which means the police may not stop or issue a ticket unless there is probable cause that a driver has violated another driving law.

Fann has sponsored or cosponsored the legislation in most of her seven years at the Capitol. In the past, the proposal has managed to make it out of the House, where Fann served before moving to the Senate, but former Senate President Andy Biggs had consistently shot it down.