Hands-free cellphone bill 2 steps away from becoming Minnesota law
Published 7:24 pm Tuesday, April 9, 2019
A bill that would allow only hands-free use of cellphones while driving has cleared one of its final hurdles and will likely reach the desk of the governor later this week.
Compromise legislation crafted by a House and Senate conference committee was passed in the Minnesota House of Representatives on Tuesday and is expected to come before the Senate Wednesday.
District 27A Rep. Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, who is a co-author of the bill, said she thinks the legislation will save lives.
“As I’ve said before, I don’t like adding new regulations, but sometimes it is just the right thing to do,” Bennett said. “We’ve seen enough accidents and deaths due to texting while driving, and we needed to take action.”
Bennett said other states that have enacted similar laws have seen the number of crashes reduced, and she expects the same thing to happen in Minnesota.
Under current law, it is illegal to text while driving in Minnesota, but it is not illegal to type in a phone number or program a GPS system while behind the wheel. Bennett’s legislation would allow voice-activated cell phone use only, along with one-touch or headsets.
Current penalties for texting while driving would apply under the bill for any kind of phone violation, which includes a $50 fine for the first violation and a $275 fine for second and subsequent violations. Bennett said a separate bill is being considered that would increase the penalties.
Albert Lean Mary Jo Dorman, whose father, Joseph Tikalsky, was struck and killed by a driver who was on her phone in 2015, said though it has been a long process for her family, she is pleased to see the bill moving forward.
“I think it’s the right thing,” Dorman said. “It’s a choice: Are you going to use your phone while you’re driving, or are you going to drive?”
Tikalsky was 79 years old and was a school bus driver who loved his job and the children he served. He was wearing a bright yellow reflective jacket at the time he was crossing the road.
Dorman noted phones are a large part of the younger generation, and that the generation must know that being on them while driving has consequences.
“Going through it, we have to address the issue,” Dorman said.
She said she also supports increased penalties, as the woman who killed her father only was sentenced to four days in jail and probation.
The hands-free legislation is expected to be approved in the Senate Wednesday and will be sent to Gov. Tim Walz, who has already indicated he will sign it into law.