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Hands-Free Driving Law Heads To Governor

Lauren Chapman
/
IPB News

Indiana is just the stroke of a pen away from becoming the 22nd state to ban cell phone use while driving unless hands-free.

The House and Senate overwhelmingly sent the bill to the governor Tuesday.

The bill says people can’t hold or use their cell phones while driving unless utilizing hands-free or voice-activated technology.

And while police can start issuing tickets for that this year, drivers who get those tickets won’t accrue “points” on their license. The more points people get – for things like speeding or running a stop light – can get their driver’s license suspended.

Rep. Holli Sullivan (R-Evansville) says putting points on your license for violating the hands-free driving law won’t take effect until 2021.

“That allows the General Assembly and/or the points study committee then to come back and decide what the point values – if any – should be for illegal use of cell phone use while driving,” Sullivan says.

Gov. Eric Holcomb is expected to sign the bill.

Contact Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.