Texting while driving ban clears Virginia Senate

Posted: 1:50 pm Tue, February 7, 2012
By Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Senate has passed legislation to toughen the state’s law against texting or emailing while driving.

Sen. George Barker’s bill cleared the Senate on a 28-12 vote Tuesday. It now goes to the House of Delegates.

The bill would make texting while driving a primary offense in Virginia. It’s already a secondary offense, meaning you can be ticketed for texting at the wheel only if pulled over for another violation. Barker, a Democrat from Fairfax, said his bill is all about highway safety.

Nobody spoke against the bill on the Senate floor.