DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) – An Iowa bill that requires drivers to put their phones down when they’re behind the wheel is advancing through the Senate. Senate lawmakers have passed similar bills before, but the House hasn’t.
Governor Kim Reynolds raised the issue in her Condition of the State Address last week. Republican and Democratic House leaders say this is putting new urgency behind the proposal.
Previously, lawmakers passed a law so you can’t text while you’re driving, but they’ve never found agreement on a full ban on handheld cell phone use .
House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst says Democrats are ready to pass a distracted driving bill.
“This is long overdue. The House is where the problem has been. The problem has not been with House Democrats. House Republicans can not get the votes to bring it to the floor. House Democrats are happy to provide some of those votes and make this a bipartisan issue if they would ask,” she said.
House Speaker Pat Grassley says Republican legislators haven’t had discussions about the bill yet.
“I can’t sit here and guarantee that that completely does change it and that there’s a guarantee a bill would get done. We’ll definitely talk about it. Something that we have not obviously caucused on this early in session but I think the Governor has raised the profile of that issue by touching on it last week,” he said.
A subcommittee on the House version of a hands-free bill is tentatively scheduled for noon on Jan. 28.
If Iowa lawmakers send this bill to Governor Reynolds and she signs it, Iowa would join 30 other states that ban handheld cell phone use for drivers.
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Conner Hendricks covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Email him at conner.hendricks@gray.tv; and follow him on Facebook at Conner Hendricks TV on X/Twitter @ConnerReports, and on TikTok @ConnerReports.
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