Alaska Legislature Passes Ban On Texting While Driving

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The Alaska state Senate passed HB255, a bill that bans texting while driving. The House passed the bill earlier.

Lawmakers in 2008 passed legislation intended to ban texting while driving though it didn’t say texting in the law. A magistrate in Kenai last year ruled the Legislature should have been explicit if it meant to prohibit the activity.

Language in HB255 states that texting while driving has been illegal since the 2008 law was passed and the magistrate’s decision is “legally incorrect.” The Senate passed the bill on Sunday, the last scheduled day of session.

The bill states a person commits the crime of driving while texting if he or she reads or types a text or other nonvoice message or communication on a cell phone, computer or something similar while driving.