PA Committee to vote on texting ban

The Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee is set to vote on a bill banning Pennsylvania drivers from texting while behind the wheel.

The Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee is set to vote on a bill banning Pennsylvania drivers from texting while behind the wheel.

Listen:
[audio: 091109sdtext.mp3]

House Transportation Committee Chairman Joe Markosek, an Allegheny County Democrat, says he’s worked with leaders from both parties to put together a measure that can easily win passage in the House.

18 states already ban texting behind the wheel.

Markosek tried to explain why Pennsylvania hasn’t passed the law yet, despite bipartisan support for the effort.

Markosek: I think technology always outpaces legislation. It moves way faster than we can move legislation, and I think that’s part of it. Almost everything we do here is somewhat politically driven. There’s different areas of the state. I think this is our best bet here, where we’ve driven out the politics and a lot of those things that have perhaps stood in our way in the past.

The new legislation would charge a $50 dollar fine-though the penalty would be doubled if drivers are pulled over in a school zone.

The bill would also ban teenage drivers from talking on a cell phone.