Florida Lawmakers Advance Texting While Driving Bill

The Florida House has passed its version of a statewide ban on texting while driving, but the proposal’s fate is uncertain.

The House passed the bill (SB 52) on a 110-6 vote Wednesday.

It includes an amendment that allows police to use drivers’ mobile phone records against them only when texting causes a crash resulting in death or personal injury.

The measure returns to the Senate to consider the House change, which came as a surprise to the bill’s sponsor.

The bill makes texting while driving a secondary offense. That means police have to first stop drivers for another offense. A first violation is a $30 fine plus court costs. A second or subsequent violation within five years adds three points to the driver’s license and is a $60 fine.