COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – A bill that would ban drivers in South Carolina from holding cell phones in their hands has passed its first hurdle.
A House subcommittee approved the bill Wednesday, sending it on to the House Education and Public Works Committee.
The proposal would fine drivers $200 for using a cell phone or other electronic device in their hands. Drivers could talk on the phone with a hands-free device or use the GPS app on their phone or other electronic devices as long as they entered their destination before driving.
Bill sponsor Republican Rep. Bill Taylor of Aiken said South Carolina’s current ban on texting while driving is too weak because drivers can claim they weren’t texting even when the cellphone is in their hands.
The current law has a $25 fine.
Georgia’s Hands-Free Law took effect on July 1, 2018. Drivers can’t hold their phone nor can it touch any part of their body while talking on the phone behind the wheel.