Bill Text: FL S0168 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: State Uniform Traffic Control/Electronic Devices [CPSC]

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Failed) 2010-04-30 - Died in Committee on Transportation [S0168 Detail]

Download: Florida-2010-S0168-Introduced.html

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Florida Senate - 2010                                     SB 168 
 
By Senator Altman 
24-00267-10                                            2010168__ 
1                        A bill to be entitled 
2         An act relating to state uniform traffic control; 
3         creating s. 316.3035, F.S.; prohibiting the use of 
4         electronic communication devices to send or receive 
5         text-based communications while operating a motor 
6         vehicle; providing exceptions; providing for 
7         enforcement; providing an effective date. 
8 
9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
10 
11         Section 1. Section 316.3035, Florida Statutes, is created 
12  to read: 
13         316.3035 Use of electronic communication devices.— 
14         (1) A person may not use an electronic communication device 
15  to compose, send, read, or view a text-based communication while 
16  operating a motor vehicle on a street or highway. As used in 
17  this section, the term “text-based communication” means a 
18  digital communication that is manually created to be 
19  electronically transmitted between physical devices, and 
20  includes text messaging, e-mail, instant messaging, paging, or a 
21  command or request to access an Internet page. 
22         (2) This section does not apply to: 
23         (a) Law enforcement officers or emergency medical services 
24  personnel in the performance of their official duties; 
25         (b) A person requesting medical or emergency assistance; 
26         (c) A person reporting illegal activity, a traffic accident 
27  or crash, or a road hazard that threatens other vehicles; 
28         (d) A person using a mobile data terminal that is 
29  permanently mounted in a vehicle to communicate for the purpose 
30  of passenger transport, freight or package delivery, or vehicle 
31  dispatching for emergency road service or roadside assistance; 
32  or 
33         (e) A person managing controls related to vehicle safety 
34  equipment or permanently installed audio equipment. 
35         (3) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic 
36  infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in 
37  chapter 318. 
38         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.