OLYMPIA — Texting or holding a phone to your ear is already against the law for drivers in Washington, but soon they will be prohibited from doing all the other stuff some do while driving or sitting in traffic: checking Facebook, reading emails or anything else that requires them to hold their electronic devices while behind the wheel.

The measure, signed by Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday in Tacoma, prohibits holding an electronic device — including phones, tablets and other electronic gadgets — while driving, including while in traffic or waiting for a traffic light to change.

The measure was championed by Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center.

“Some drivers clearly need new motivation to keep at least one hand on the steering wheel and their eyes looking ahead. Who hasn’t seen bad behavior on the road because of a handheld device?” Rivers said in an April statement.

Inslee vetoed a section that had the measure take effect in 2019. He said it was too important to wait for the provisions to take effect, so the law will now take effect in mid-July.

Under the measure, “the minimal use of a finger” to activate, deactivate, or initiate a function of a personal electronic device while driving will still be allowed.