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Kentucky Senate passes hands‑free driving bill with $100 prepayable fine
Summary
The Senate passed Senate Bill 28 to prohibit holding a mobile electronic device while operating a vehicle, with a prepayable $100 fine, no license points, and enforcement limited to instances where an officer has a clear and unobstructed visual observation; the vote was announced as 31 yays and 7 nays.
The Kentucky Senate on Jan. 20, 2026, passed Senate Bill 28, legislation that prohibits a motor-vehicle operator from holding a mobile electronic device in the hand while operating a vehicle. The chamber adopted the measure by the announced vote of 31 yays and 7 nays.
Sponsor Senator from Marion said the bill is intended to "modernize our statute" and reduce crashes caused by distracted driving. The sponsor said the measure allows necessary exceptions: emergency calls and crash/hazard reporting, official use by first responders while performing duties, and use when a vehicle is lawfully parked or stopped. He described procedural safeguards for enforcement, saying a police officer "shall not stop a person for a violation of this section unless the officer has visually observed that a violation has occurred based on the officer's clear and unobstructed view." The bill directs the Transportation Cabinet to post signage statewide before enforcement begins.
On penalties, the sponsor said SB28 provides for a $100 fine that is prepayable and does not carry license points; he characterized the bill as a "hands free state" measure and tied it to advocacy from a family (identified on the floor as Alyssa Barnes Burns) after the October 28, 2022, death of her child, Cammie.
During floor discussion, Senator Perry raised concerns from constituents about whether camera-triggered enforcement or post-event digital surveillance could create secondary violations; the sponsor reiterated the requirement that an officer have an unobstructed visual observation before stopping a driver. Senators offering explanations of their votes framed the bill as a safety measure (one senator recounted witnessing a motorcyclist killed when a distracted driver ran him over from behind) while dissenting senators warned that emerging vehicle collision-avoidance technology could be a more comprehensive long-term solution.
The Senate approved SB28 on third reading; the transcript does not include subsequent amendments or an implementation timeline beyond the Transportation Cabinet signage requirement.
