Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Senate debate stalls on hands-free driving bill after safety, scope disputes
Summary
Senators engaged in extended debate over a bill to require hands-free phone use while driving (second substitute HB63). Sponsors argued the technology and voice controls make compliance practical; opponents raised enforcement and scope concerns including commercial 'push-to-talk' devices. The sponsor withdrew a passage motion and an on-floor amendment was circled for further work.
Senators spent more than an hour debating Second Substitute House Bill 63, a hands-free distracted-driving proposal that would prohibit holding a phone to the ear and require use of hands-free or voice-activated functions while operating a motor vehicle. Sponsor Senator Eckhart framed the bill as an incremental safety step that modern phones and vehicle systems can already accommodate, demonstrating voice-activation features during remarks.
The bill…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
