Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate rejects bill to restrict casual cellphone use by school bus drivers
Summary
Senators debated House Bill 190, which would bar casual cellphone use by drivers transporting students (allowing job-related or emergency calls). Concerns about enforceability and scope led to defeat on the floor, 11–16.
The Utah Senate considered House Bill 190, a proposal to limit casual wireless telephone use by school bus drivers while transporting students, but rejected the bill on a floor roll call on Feb. 18.
Sponsor Senator Ron Allen said the bill targets extended, social phone conversations by drivers that have been observed during trips and is tailored to permit calls related to job duties or emergencies. "It's specifically crafted to deal with a few situations where we've had extended casual phone conversations going on by bus drivers while transporting children," Allen said.
Opponents questioned enforcement and whether local school districts already had adequate policies. Senator Butters warned the bill was a "camel's nose in the tent," suggesting it could be expanded later into broader driving restrictions. Senator Wadips asked whether local boards preferred to handle the issue administratively; Allen replied the statute would give law enforcement clearer authority to act in cases of extended social calls.
The motion to pass HB190 failed on roll call (11 aye, 16 no, 2 absent), and the bill did not advance from the Senate.
Next steps: With the bill failing on the third-reading calendar in the Senate, HB190 will not proceed from this body unless reconsidered or reintroduced.
