For a while, it seemed Colorado lawmakers had hung up on a proposal to restrict cellphone use in cars this year, but it turns out the bill was just on hold.
Last month, the proposal failed to get enough votes to pass the House Transportation Committee, but a vote to shelve it did not succeed either. So now the bill has a rare second chance when it’s put up for a committee vote next week.
Aurora Democratic Rep. Jovan Melton, the bill sponsor, is trying to make the most of it by pitching three amendments to try to gain votes, including leveling stiffer fines for violators, which is what some lawmakers wanted.
“It was obvious that there wasn’t a disagreement with the policy but just how we were getting to the practice,” Melton said.
Offenses would be punishable by a $100 fine for the first citation and $200 for a second. That’s double the amount in each case from what the bill initially called for.
If the bill becomes law, Colorado would join 12 states and Washington, D.C., in requiring drivers to use a hands-free device while talking on the phone, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Colorado, along with 40 other states and Washington, D.C., already prohibits texting while driving.
“Distracted driving is a problem, and I appreciate Rep. Melton’s efforts to try to address some of those concerns,” said Rep. Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City.
