NU Online News Service
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm will sign into law legislation that bans texting while driving in the state, today on the Oprah Winfrey show, a spokesperson for the governor confirmed.
The legislation--a package of bills that includes SB 468, HB 4370 and HB 4394--will make texting while driving a primary offense, and will impose a $100 fine for first offenders and a $200 fine for subsequent violations, according to the American Insurance Association (AIA), which supports the legislation.
"Drivers need to focus on the road, not their incoming messages," John Birkinbine, AIA assistant vice president of state affairs, said in a statement.
Speaking to NU Online, Birkinbine said there was no "loud" opposition to the measure, although there were some dissenting votes.
The legislation required multiple bills, he said, because of a process in Michigan known as "tie-bar," where multiple bills are tied together rather than amending the original bill when additions are made.
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 18 states plus the District of Columbia have texting while driving bans and list it as a primary offense. Michigan would be the 19th state. An additional five states have bans and list it as a secondary offense
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