The Pennsylvania State House has passed a bill that would strengthen penalties for distracted driving offenses. The bill, known as "Paul Miller's Law," is named after a 21-year-old man who was killed by a distracted truck driver in 2010.
The bill, championed by Senator Rosemary Brown, would make it illegal for drivers to use handheld electronic devices while operating a vehicle. This includes activities like sending emails and gaming while driving. The House of Representatives approved the bill with a vote of 124-77.
Eileen Miller, Paul's mother, was present in the House chamber to witness the passage of the bill. She described herself as "a mom with a mission," and has been advocating for stricter distracted driving laws since her son's death.
The bill also requires police to keep records of who they're pulling over and why. This data would be collected and analyzed to ensure fair application of the law.
However, not everyone is in favor of the bill. Liz Randol, the ACLU’s Pennsylvania Legislative Director, expressed concerns that the bill could give police officers more justification to engage in stops that could turn confrontational or lethal.
The bill now has to go to the State Senate before it potentially heads to Governor Josh Shapiro’s desk. It's not clear what the timeline is for the State Senate to review the bill. If passed, Pennsylvania would become the 27th state to ban the use of handheld devices while driving.