CHEYENNE -- Despite some last-minute maneuvers in the state House of Representatives, a statewide ban on texting while driving appears set to become law.
Wyoming will become the 20th state in the nation to ban texting while driving, a growing trend that highway safety advocates say puts motorists -- especially young drivers -- at risk.
But the bill only narrowly passed the state House of Representatives 32-26 on Wednesday, amid concerns that the legislation was unnecessary and unenforceable. Later in the day, it survived a second vote to reconsider the bill -- a relatively rare legislative tactic.
Under the bill, drivers caught texting -- or even reading a text -- would have to pay a $75 fine. The crime would be a primary offense, meaning police officers could pull motorists over for no other reason than suspecting them of texting.
The legislation now heads to Gov. Dave Freudenthal, who told reporters Wednesday he supports the bill. The law would take effect in July.
"I don't think there's a constitutional right to text while you drive," Freudenthal said.
While many legislators admitted to texting behind the wheel themselves, supporters said the texting ban was particularly aimed at educating young people -- who tend to use the technology more than adults -- about safe driving.
State Rep. Mike Gilmore, R-Casper, said while he was reluctant to support the bill, his granddaughter urged him to support a texting ban after she almost killed a person after swerving into another lane while texting.
"She said, 'If I was scared that I was going to get a ticket, I probably wouldn't have done it,'" Gilmore said.
But opponents said there are already laws on the books -- for careless driving and distracted driving -- that would cover any problems caused by texters behind the wheel. They also said it would be very difficult for law enforcement to spot drivers texting as they pass by.
"The question is, what difference are we going to make in the safety of our roads if we pass this bill? And I think the way that this bill is drafted, not one bit," said state Rep. Tom Lubnau, R-Gillette. "No matter what we do, no matter what laws we enact, no matter what grade of punishments we invent, there will always be people who make bad decisions."
The texting ban would apply to all text-based communications either sent or read while driving, as well as checking e-mail or other functions on a cell phone or BlackBerry. However, it remains legal in most areas of Wyoming to talk on a cell phone while driving.
State Rep. Debbie Hammons, the Worland Democrat who sponsored the bill in the House, said she doubted a texting ban opens the door to a statewide cell phone ban.
"I think they've never been able to get anywhere with a cell phone ban," she said.
Contact capital bureau reporter Jeremy Pelzer at (307) 632-1244 or jeremy.pelzer@trib.com.
How they voted
Senate File 20 would ban texting while driving statewide. Here's how Wyoming state representatives voted Wednesday in the second of two votes on the legislation:
In favor (32): Bagby, Blake, Blikre, Bonner, Brown, Byrd, Cannady, Carson, Childers, Cohee, Connolly, Craft, Esquibel, Gilmore, Gingery, Goggles, Hales, Hammons, Harvey, Jorgensen, Kimble, Lockhart, McOmie, Millin, Patton, Petersen, Roscoe, Steward, Stubson, Thompson, Throne, Zwonitzer (Dave).
Against (26): Anderson, Barbuto, Berger, Brechtel, Buchanan, Davison, Diercks, Edmonds, Harshman, Illoway, Jaggi, Landon, Lubnau, Madden, McKim, Miller, Moniz, Peasley, Pedersen, Quarberg, Semlek, Shepperson, Simpson, Teeters, Wallis, Zwonitzer (Dan).
