Florida Senate - 2014                                     SB 322
       
       
        
       By Senator Sachs
       
       
       
       
       
       34-00414-14                                            2014322__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to use of wireless communications
    3         devices while driving; amending s. 316.305, F.S.;
    4         removing provisions that limit law enforcement of the
    5         Florida Ban on Texting While Driving Law to a
    6         secondary action; providing an effective date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Subsections (2) and (5) of section 316.305,
   11  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   12         316.305 Wireless communications devices; prohibition.—
   13         (2) It is the intent of the Legislature to:
   14         (a) Improve roadway safety for all vehicle operators,
   15  vehicle passengers, bicyclists, pedestrians, and other road
   16  users.
   17         (b) Prevent crashes related to the act of text messaging
   18  while driving a motor vehicle.
   19         (c) Reduce injuries, deaths, property damage, health care
   20  costs, health insurance rates, and automobile insurance rates
   21  related to motor vehicle crashes.
   22         (d) Authorize law enforcement officers to stop motor
   23  vehicles and issue citations as a secondary offense to persons
   24  who are texting while driving.
   25         (5) Enforcement of this section by state or local law
   26  enforcement agencies must be accomplished only as a secondary
   27  action when an operator of a motor vehicle has been detained for
   28  a suspected violation of another provision of this chapter,
   29  chapter 320, or chapter 322.
   30         Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2014.