Des Moines, Iowa — A bill that would ban Iowa motorists from having a phone or electronic device in their hands while driving has cleared a key senate committee, but Speaker Pat Grassley says he hasn’t polled the 64 Republicans in the House about the concept.
The bill has been introduced in the legislature for more than a dozen years, but has never become law. The Senate Transportation Committee endorsed it last week. Senator Claire Celsi, a Democrat from Des Moines, used to oppose the law, but she says there are now plenty of inexpensive devices available to let drivers switch their cells to “hands free” mode.
Republican Senator Adrian Dickey of Packwood supports the bill, but he says it doesn’t go far enough in addressing the distracted driving problem.
Under current law, drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using electronic devices while driving, but adult drivers are only barred from sending or reading electronic messages. Iowa law enforcement agencies say it’s difficult to enforce, as drivers claim they’re using the phone for navigation or a phone call.
