News Room: SB 1613: Hands-free Cellphones

Today, the California State Senate passed Senate Bill 1310, a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) which would strengthen California’s hands-free and no texting laws for motorists. The vote was 24-9. read more ...

A study released today by the California Office of Traffic Safety shows that deaths due to hand-held cell phone use by drivers dropped dramatically following the enactment of the hands-free legislation authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). read more ...

Today, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 28, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which would strengthen California’s hands-free and no-texting laws for motorists. The bill heads to the Governor’s desk for consideration. read more ...

... A bill working its way through Sacramento could sharply increase the penalties for driving while using a handheld cellphone, fines that some say are already deceptively higher than had been expected.

The ban was instituted in July 2008, and six months later, texting while driving was similarly prohibited. Only hands-free talking is now allowed.

Senator Joe Simitian, Democrat of Palo Alto, wrote both bills, which include modest fines of $20 for a first offense and $50 for the second. ...

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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today the introduction of Senate Bill 1475 which strengthens the state’s hands-free and anti-texting laws for motorists. read more ...

Recently released collision and fatality data from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirms that California’s streets and highways are safer following the implementation of California’s “hands-free” cell phone law. read more ...

Motorists in California are strongly encouraged not to use cell phones at all while driving. If they choose to do so, however, it must be hands-free. read more ...

Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that research conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) estimates 300-900 lives will be saved annually once California’s hands-free cell phone law goes into effect. read more ...

A California researcher has entered the acrimonious debate over mobile phones by predicting that banning the use of hand-held phones by U.S. drivers could save thousands of lives each year. In a study released Monday, Jed Kolko, a fellow at the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, estimated that 300 fewer people will die each year in traffic accidents as a result of a pending hand-held cell-phone ban for California drivers. More than 4,000 people die in traffic accidents in the state every year. read more ...

Claudiu Stoenescu, a database manager from San Ramon, never thought of himself as a wireless headset kind of guy. But his wife insisted he buy the wireless earpiece for his cell phone last month. The reason: She wants him on the right side of the law when he makes future calls in the car. Come July 1, drivers in California who make or receive phone calls other than emergencies will be required to have a hands-free way of talking. Motorists who don't can be pulled over and cited, $20 for the first offense and $50 for subsequent violations. read more ...

Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that the State Assembly passed SB 33, his bill to prohibit drivers under the age of 18 from using a cell phone, pager, text-messaging device, or laptop while driving, on an initial vote of 62-5. The bill, which passed the State Senate in April, now goes to the State Senate for a final vote on Assembly amendments, then on to the Governor who has 30 days to sign or veto the bill. read more ...

About one year from now, July 1, 2008, it will be illegal to talk on a hand-held cell phone and drive a car in California. The bill was sponsored by state Senator Joe Simitian of Palo Alto. And it's one of many legal responses to the hazard of distracted drivers on our nation's roads and highways. Studies show that talking on a cell phone, while you drive, is about as dangerous as driving drunk. And traffic safety officials in California say that most accidents result from drivers being distracted. Legislatures have passed laws against use of cell phones while driving. Text messaging while driving has also been the target of state prohibitions. read more ...

Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that the State Senate passed SB 33, his bill to prohibit drivers under the age of 18 from using a cell phone while driving, on a bipartisan 21-14 vote. The bill will now be sent to the Assembly for a hearing in June or July. read more ...

Governor Schwarzenegger announced today that he will hold a bill signing ceremony in Oakland to sign into law State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) SB 1613, which will require California drivers who choose to use a cell phone while driving to use a hands-free device. The bill, which will go into effect on July 1, 2008, allows exceptions for drivers calling law enforcement or public safety agencies, as well as emergency services personnel driving authorized vehicles. read more ...

Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that SB 1613, his bill to require the use of hands-free cell phone devices while driving, passed the State Senate on Thursday on a 21-14 vote. The bill now moves to the State Assembly. read more ...