BOSTON (WHDH) - Legislators proposing a hands-free driving law say they hope to have the bill on Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk by Wednesday.
The compromise bill would make it illegal to drive with a cellphone in your hand. Thomas Brannelly, whose daughter Katie was killed when a distracted driver hit her in Norwood, said the bill was necessary for safety.
“It’s going to save lives, no doubt about it. Nobody should have to go through what we went through, nobody,” Brannelly said. “It could be your street, your kid, your neighbor, your co-worker.”
According to the bill, if you’re caught with a cellphone in your hand behind the wheel, you’d face a $100 fine for the first offense and a $200 fine for the second offense, which would also require a driver safety course.
A third offense would bring a $500 fine and a surcharge to your insurance.
The bill also tracks the age, race, and gender of people pulled over, as well as the outcome of the traffic stop to ensure there is no racial profiling.
“If law enforcement agencies are targeting certain individuals, demographics or communities, that information is going to be made publicly available in a public way online,” said State Sen. Joseph Boncore.
But the ACLU said the bill doesn’t go far enough when it comes to making the information public.
“Despite the Senate’s best efforts to increase data collection and transparency, this bill simply repackages existing law on data collection and imposes new limits on data access,” the civil rights organization said in a statement.
Boncore said he expects the bill will be passed by Wednesday before the Legislature breaks for Thanksgiving.
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