Florida is poised to join the majority of other states in cracking down on texting while driving by making it a primary offense.
The Florida House voted 104-9 on Tuesday in favor of toughening state law to allow police to pull over drivers who are texting but not committing any other driving offense.
The Senate will take up a similar measure Wednesday. Right now, drivers can be cited for texting only if they are speeding or committing another violation.
Rep. Emily Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, has been a chief supporter of the bill. In 1996, Slosberg was injured in a wreck caused by a reckless driver that killed five teenagers, including her twin sister.
Slosberg, who was 14 at the time, suffered broken bones and a punctured lung. She wore her twin sister’s ring while delivering a floor speech supporting the bill.
“This bill is about one thing and one thing only … saving lives,” she said.
But the measure has drawn concerns from African American lawmakers who fear it will lead to more racial profiling.
“As a black man, there is no way I can support this bill,” said Rep. Al Jacquet, D-Lantana. “In application, we are going to look back and wish we never did it.”
The proposal (HB 107) requires that police compile statistics on the race of people cited for texting while driving.
A first violation carries a $30 fine plus court costs, which could result in a total fine up to $108. A subsequent violation committed within five years carries a $60 fine.
Forty-three other states make texting while driving a primary offense, according to a House analysis of the bill.
Last year, a bill cracking down on texting while driving passed the House but stalled in the Senate.
sswisher@sunsentinel.com, 561-243-6634 or @SkylerSwisher