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Panel divided as sponsor seeks to make hands‑free phone law a secondary offense
Summary
Rep. Ellen Reed introduced HB 411 to make use of a mobile electronic device while driving a secondary offense, citing a recent Supreme Court decision. Law enforcement and safety groups opposed, saying it would weaken enforcement of distracted‑driving rules; proponents called the change a narrow fix to align state law with the court ruling.
Lede: The House Transportation Committee considered HB 411 on Feb. 17, a measure from Rep. Ellen Reed that would make use of a mobile electronic device while driving a secondary offense, requiring officers to cite an accompanying moving violation before ticketing for electronic‑device use.
Nut graf: Reed told the panel a recent court decision narrowed enforcement of New Hampshire’s hands‑free law and that treating device use as a secondary offense would let officers link observed distracted conduct to a separate driving violation. Law‑enforcement and highway‑safety witnesses warned the change would reduce deterrence and complicate enforcement.
Rep. Ellen Reed opened her testimony by describing a recent judicial decision that struck down part of the state’s hands‑free prohibition as overly broad. She…
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