Mass. legislators come to agreement on hands-free driving bill

BOSTON (WHDH) – The Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate released a joint statement Friday announcing they have come to an agreement on distracted driving legislation.

Representative Bill Straus and Senator Joseph Boncore have reached an agreement on new a new bill that will restrict the use of hand-held cell phones behind the wheel of a motor vehicle and update the existing laws regarding racial profiling by law enforcement, according to the release.

The bill was held up in negotiations for months as committee members debated the merits of monitoring traffic stop data and using it to track potential racial profiling.

The bill is currently being circulated among the other Senate and House conference committee members for signatures.

The legislation is expected to be filed with the House Clerks office on Monday.

It is due to be reviewed by the entirety of the House and Senate later in the week.

In response to this news, a spokesperson for Governor Charlie Baker said, “Governor Baker filed legislation that would substantially reduce distracted driving and help keep the Commonwealth’s roads safe for residents across the state and will carefully review any legislation that reaches his desk.”

Massachusetts is the only state in New England without a hands-free driving law.

Though, advocates of safer roadways like Jerry Cibley say they hope that will change.

On May 13, 2007, Cibley ‘ 18-year-old son Jordan crashed his car while talking to him on his cellphone in Norton.

“He had dropped his phone. He had unbuckled his seatbelt at 30 miles an hour and he slammed into a tree and was killed instantly,” Cibley said. “He’ll never get married. He’ll never have children, and I will never get to see the man he could have become.”

Jordan lost his life that day but, ever since, his father has dedicated his life to ensuring that what happened to his son never happens to another child.

The final language of the bill has not yet been released.

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