Florida Senate - 2015                                     SB 492
       
       
        
       By Senator Thompson
       
       
       
       
       
       12-00352-15                                            2015492__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to driving safety; creating s.
    3         316.306, F.S.; prohibiting the use of cellular
    4         telephones and other electronic communications devices
    5         by drivers in a school zone or school crossing or on
    6         school district property; providing penalties;
    7         providing an effective date.
    8          
    9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         Section 1. Section 316.306, Florida Statutes, is created to
   12  read:
   13         316.306 Use of cellular telephone or electronic
   14  communications device in school zone; prohibition.—
   15         (1) A person may not operate a motor vehicle in a legally
   16  posted school zone or designated school crossing or on school
   17  district property while using any type of cellular telephone or
   18  electronic communications device or while sending or reading
   19  data on such a device for the purpose of communication,
   20  including, but not limited to, texting, e-mailing, and instant
   21  messaging. As used in this section, the term “electronic
   22  communications device” means a device that is designed or
   23  intended to receive or transmit voice, text, or character-based
   24  messages; access or store data; or connect to the Internet or a
   25  communications service as defined in s. 812.15.
   26         (2) A person who violates this section commits a
   27  noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a moving violation
   28  as provided in chapter 318.
   29         Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2015.