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Soon, Connecticut may send this message to people who text and drive: it's illegal! Because yesterday, May 5, the state legislature approved a bill which penalizes drivers for using mobile electronic devices while driving. The bill revises the 2005 law, which pre-dated the popularity of texting, and adds fines for it as well as using hand-held cell phones. Additionally, both talking on a hand-held cell phone and texting while driving carry bigger fines in the new bill. Now, a first violation carries a $100 fine; a second violation is $150 and third and subsequent violations get $200 summonses. In the 2005 law, the maximum fine is $100 and a warning is often issued for a first violation. The new bill also requires the state to send 25% of summons' revenue to the issuing municipality.The revised hand-held mobile device law was crafted by the legislature's Transportation Committee in early 2010. State Senator Bob Duff, who represents Norwalk and Darien, is the Committee's Vice Chair. Fairfield and Westport's State Representative Kim Fawcett is also a member. Before its approval, Duff said about the new bill, The time has come to end the first-time warning (that exists in the original bill) because now there is new technology and culturally, we understand the dangers these activities pose while driving.
Although its passage has been confirmed, the vote breakdown for the mobile devices bill has not been posted by the Clerks of the House and Senate to the Legislature's website. That should happen either by the end of the day or by tomorrow morning. The bill becomes law when either Governor Rell signs it, or lets it become law without her signature. If she were to veto the new cellphone law, an unlikely scenario, the General Assembly can still vote to pass it. If passed, it goes into effect in October.
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