NEW YORK-A bill that would mandate hands-free cellular phone use while driving cleared the Executive Committee of the Illinois General Assembly March 12 and now goes to the full house.
The vote was 10-4, said State Representative Robert Bugielski, a member of the Executive Committee and lead sponsor of the bill. Eight votes were needed to release the bill for consideration by the full General Assembly. The General Assembly has until April 25 to vote whether to approve the bill and send it on to the Illinois State Senate for consideration.
“I have to start working with 118 people,” Bugielski said, referring to his fellow elected representatives in the General Assembly. “Now the industry knows about it, and they will be against it. I’ll talk with them and see what can be done.”
Tim Ayers, vice president of communications for the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, Washington, said CTIA, “has always advocated the use of hands-free phones … but doesn’t think a law is needed.”
Many customers who use their wireless phones extensively for business purposes already own hands-free aftermarket devices, Ayers said. But requiring everyone to do so would impose an undue financial burden on cellular customers who carry the phones just for emergency use, he said.
“Legislation like this is introduced across the country each year, but it’s never become law,” Ayers said.
In the legislative arena, CTIA concentrates primarily on Congress, leaving state-level lobbying to its members. “We don’t have a flying truth squad that goes from state to state,” he said.
Similarly, the Personal Communications Industry Association, Alexandria, Va., focuses primarily on legislation at the federal level, said Mark Becker, communications consultant. “We haven’t looked at that specific bill, but the whole issue is under review,” he said.
In its present form, the draft legislation, which would amend the Illinois Vehicle Code, states: “The driver of a motor vehicle may not use a telephone while operating the motor vehicle unless the telephone is equipped with and the driver uses an apparatus that allows the driver to talk and listen without holding the telephone or its handset or receiver.
“The driver may not hold or touch the telephone or its handset or receiver while operating the motor vehicle except to enable the apparatus, enter a telephone number or hang up or turn off the telephone.
“As used in this Section (No. 12-612), `telephone’ means a cellular telephone, portable telephone or other telephone that may be used from within a moving motor vehicle.”
The current bill draft doesn’t specify penalties, which would be left to local authorities, Bugielski said.
