Texas Lawmakers Send Texting While Driving Ban to Governor
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A statewide ban on texting while driving is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk after being defeated repeatedly over the last decade.
The House first approved a ban in March. The Senate version pre-empted local texting bans while allowing for using satellite navigation systems.
House lawmakers then voted Sunday night to accept those changes. Abbott hasn't said if he'll sign the bill, though it'll become law automatically unless he vetoes it.
Forty-six states already have laws against texting while driving. Texas passed one in 2011, but then-Gov. Rick Perry voted it.
The latest attempt drew new momentum after a March church bus crash killed 13 people. Federal investigators say the driver of the pickup truck that hit the bus said he was checking for a text when the crash occurred.