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Utah House passes teen cell-phone restriction after debate over safety and job exceptions
Summary
The House approved HB 217 to prohibit most cell-phone use by teen drivers, with exceptions for emergencies and limited employment needs. Lawmakers debated headset safety research, employment impacts and whether to assign license points; the bill passed as amended 45–27 and moves to the Senate.
The Utah House on Feb. 6 approved House Bill 217, a measure that bars most use of a wireless phone and text messaging by drivers in the teen license class, with limited exceptions for reporting criminal activity and emergencies.
Representative Corey Holdaway, the bill sponsor, said the measure targets inexperienced drivers and responds to classroom and constituent concerns that texting and calling while driving endangers teens. He described the change as “the cell phone restriction for teen drivers” and walked colleagues through the bill’s prohibitions…
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