House passes texting-while-driving ban

Incorporated suburbs of San Antonio have their own driving ordinances, see which ones still allow texting while driving. Incorporated suburbs of San Antonio have their own driving ordinances, see which ones still allow texting while driving. Photo: Elaine Thompson, AP Photo/Elaine Thompson Photo: Elaine Thompson, AP Photo/Elaine Thompson Image 1 of / 83 Caption Close House passes texting-while-driving ban 1 / 83 Back to Gallery

AUSTIN—The Texas House on Wednesday tentatively approved a statewide ban on texting while driving, casting the measure as a critical component to curtailing distracted driving accidents around the state.

The legislation by state Rep. Tom Craddick, a Republican from Midland and the lower chamber's longest serving member, would make it a misdemeanor to read, write or send a text while driving. It marks the third consecutive session the lower chamber has passed a ban on texting while driving.

"It's a safety issue in the state," said Craddick, a former House Speaker. "Driving is a privilege, not a right."

The bill won preliminary approval 102-40 and still requires a final vote before the House kicks the measure over to the Senate. Lawmakers who opposed the measure cited privacy and civil liberty concerns.

Forty-five states have imposed bans on texting while driving, with Mississippi being the latest to do so earlier this week. Thirty-eight Texas cities, including San Antonio and Austin, have outlawed in some manner texting or talking while driving.

The bill given initial approval Wednesday by the House carried an amendment clarifying that ordinances already passed by cities would not be affected. The same amendment also gives cities the ability to continue to impose their own ordinances on hand-held devices while driving.

A bipartisan texting-while-driving measure reached Gov. Rick Perry's desk in 2011, but he vetoed it, calling the bill "a government effort to micromanage the behavior of adults."

Lawmakers have voiced optimism that Gov. Greg Abbott will be more receptive, but Abbott has already said he's concerned about "too much government intrusion" with a texting-while-driving ban.

Abbott's staff Wednesday re-hashed the same statement it has provided on bills pending before the Legislature, saying the governor will consider "any bill passed by the legislature with the goal of making Texas better."