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First Substitute S.B. 149

Senator Lyle W. Hillyard proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
PROHIBITION OF TEXT MESSAGING OR

             2     
ELECTRONIC MAIL COMMUNICATION WHILE

             3     
DRIVING

             4     
2009 GENERAL SESSION

             5     
STATE OF UTAH

             6     
Chief Sponsor: Lyle W. Hillyard

             7     
House Sponsor: Kay L. McIff

             8     
             9      LONG TITLE
             10      General Description:
             11          This bill modifies the Motor Vehicles Code, the Uniform Driver License Act, and the
             12      Criminal Code by amending provisions relating to the use of a handheld wireless
             13      communication device for text messaging or electronic mail communication while
             14      operating a moving motor vehicle.
             15      Highlighted Provisions:
             16          This bill:
             17          .    prohibits a person from using a handheld wireless communication device for text
             18      messaging or electronic mail communication while operating a moving motor
             19      vehicle on a highway in this state;
             20          .    provides exceptions to the handheld wireless communication device prohibition;
             21          .    provides penalties for violating the prohibition on using a handheld wireless
             22      communication device for text messaging or electronic mail communication while
             23      operating a moving motor vehicle;
             24          .    provides that criminal homicide is automobile homicide if a person operates a
             25      moving vehicle in a negligent or criminally negligent manner causing the death of


             26      another and was using a handheld wireless communication device for text messaging or
             27      electronic mail communication at the time of operation;
             28          .    provides penalties for automobile homicide in certain circumstances;
             29          .    provides that a judge or justice may order that a person's driver license be suspended
             30      for three months upon conviction of the prohibition on using a handheld wireless
             31      communication device for text messaging or electronic mail communication while
             32      operating a moving motor vehicle;
             33          .    requires the Driver License Division to immediately revoke, deny, suspend, or
             34      disqualify a person's license upon receiving a record of the person's conviction of
             35      automobile homicide while using a handheld wireless communication device for
             36      text messaging or electronic mail communication; and
             37          .    makes technical changes.
             38      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             39          None
             40      Other Special Clauses:
             41          None
             42      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             43      AMENDS:
             44          53-3-218, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 18
             45          53-3-220, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapters 3, 226, and 296
             46      ENACTS:
             47          41-6a-1716, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             48          76-5-207.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             49     
             50      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             51          Section 1. Section 41-6a-1716 is enacted to read:
             52          41-6a-1716. Prohibition on using a handheld wireless communication device for
             53      text messaging communication while operating a moving motor vehicle -- Penalties.
             54          (1) As used in this section:
             55          (a) (i) "Handheld wireless communication device" means a handheld device used for
             56      the transfer of information without the use of electrical conductors or wires.


             57          (ii) "Handheld wireless communication device" includes a:
             58          (A) wireless telephone;
             59          (B) personal digital assistant;
             60          (C) pager; or
             61          (D) text messaging device.
             62          (b) "Text messaging" has the same meaning as defined in Section 76-4-401 .
             63          (2) Except as provided in Subsection (3), a person may not use a handheld wireless
             64      communication device for text messaging or electronic mail communication while operating a
             65      moving motor vehicle on a highway in this state.
             66          (3) Subsection (2) does not prohibit a person from using a handheld wireless
             67      communication device while operating a moving motor vehicle:
             68          (a) during a medical emergency;
             69          (b) when reporting a safety hazard or requesting assistance relating to a safety hazard;
             70          (c) when reporting criminal activity or requesting assistance relating to a criminal
             71      activity; or
             72          (d) when used by a law enforcement officer or emergency service personnel acting
             73      within the course and scope of their employment.
             74          (4) A person convicted the first or second time of a violation of this section is guilty of
             75      a:
             76          (a) class B misdemeanor; or
             77          (b) class A misdemeanor if the person has also inflicted bodily injury upon another as a
             78      proximate result of using a handheld wireless communication device for text messaging or
             79      electronic mail communication while operating a moving motor vehicle on a highway in this
             80      state.
             81          (5) A person convicted of a violation of this section is guilty of a third degree felony if:
             82          (a) the person has also inflicted serious bodily injury upon another as a proximate
             83      result of using a handheld wireless communication device for text messaging or electronic mail
             84      communication while operating a moving motor vehicle on a highway in this state;
             85          (b) the person has two or more prior convictions under this section, each of which is
             86      within ten years of:
             87          (i) the current conviction under this section; or


             88          (ii) the commission of the offense upon which the current conviction is based; or
             89          (c) the conviction of this section is at any time after a conviction of automobile
             90      homicide under Section 76-5-207.5 .
             91          Section 2. Section 53-3-218 is amended to read:
             92           53-3-218. Court to report convictions and may recommend suspension of license
             93      -- Severity of speeding violation defined.
             94          (1) As used in this section, "conviction" means conviction by the court of first
             95      impression or final administrative determination in an administrative traffic proceeding.
             96          (2) (a) A court having jurisdiction over offenses committed under this chapter or any
             97      other law of this state, or under any municipal ordinance regulating driving motor vehicles on
             98      highways or driving motorboats on the water, shall forward to the division within ten days, an
             99      abstract of the court record of the conviction or plea held in abeyance of any person in the court
             100      for a reportable traffic or motorboating violation of any laws or ordinances, and may
             101      recommend the suspension of the license of the person convicted.
             102          (b) When the division receives a court record of a conviction or plea in abeyance for a
             103      motorboat violation, the division may only take action against a person's driver license if the
             104      motorboat violation is for a violation of Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 5, Driving Under the
             105      Influence and Reckless Driving.
             106          (3) The abstract shall be made in the form prescribed by the division and shall include:
             107          (a) the name, date of birth, and address of the party charged;
             108          (b) the license certificate number of the party charged, if any;
             109          (c) the registration number of the motor vehicle or motorboat involved;
             110          (d) whether the motor vehicle was a commercial motor vehicle;
             111          (e) whether the motor vehicle carried hazardous materials;
             112          (f) whether the motor vehicle carried 16 or more occupants;
             113          (g) whether the driver presented a commercial driver license;
             114          (h) the nature of the offense;
             115          (i) whether the offense involved an accident;
             116          (j) the driver's blood alcohol content, if applicable;
             117          (k) if the offense involved a speeding violation:
             118          (i) the posted speed limit;


             119          (ii) the actual speed; and
             120          (iii) whether the speeding violation occurred on a highway that is part of the interstate
             121      system as defined in Section 72-1-102 ;
             122          (l) the date of the hearing;
             123          (m) the plea;
             124          (n) the judgment or whether bail was forfeited; and
             125          (o) the severity of the violation, which shall be graded by the court as "minimum,"
             126      "intermediate," or "maximum" as established in accordance with Subsection 53-3-221 (4).
             127          (4) When a convicted person secures a judgment of acquittal or reversal in any
             128      appellate court after conviction in the court of first impression, the division shall reinstate his
             129      license immediately upon receipt of a certified copy of the judgment of acquittal or reversal.
             130          (5) Upon a conviction of the prohibition on using a handheld wireless communication
             131      device for text messaging or electronic mail communication while operating a moving motor
             132      vehicle under Section 41-6a-1716 , a judge or justice may order a suspension of the convicted
             133      person's license for a period of three months.
             134          Section 3. Section 53-3-220 is amended to read:
             135           53-3-220. Offenses requiring mandatory revocation, denial, suspension, or
             136      disqualification of license -- Offense requiring an extension of period -- Hearing --
             137      Limited driving privileges.
             138          (1) (a) The division shall immediately revoke or, when this chapter or Title 41, Chapter
             139      6a, Traffic Code, specifically provides for denial, suspension, or disqualification, the division
             140      shall deny, suspend, or disqualify the license of a person upon receiving a record of the person's
             141      conviction for:
             142          (i) manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from driving a motor vehicle, or
             143      automobile homicide under Section 76-5-207 or 76-5-207.5 ;
             144          (ii) driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the
             145      influence of alcohol, any drug, or combination of them to a degree that renders the person
             146      incapable of safely driving a motor vehicle as prohibited in Section 41-6a-502 or as prohibited
             147      in an ordinance that complies with the requirements of Subsection 41-6a-510 (1);
             148          (iii) driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having a blood
             149      or breath alcohol content prohibited in Section 41-6a-502 or as prohibited in an ordinance that


             150      complies with the requirements of Subsection 41-6a-510 (1);
             151          (iv) perjury or the making of a false affidavit to the division under this chapter, Title
             152      41, Motor Vehicles, or any other law of this state requiring the registration of motor vehicles or
             153      regulating driving on highways;
             154          (v) any felony under the motor vehicle laws of this state;
             155          (vi) any other felony in which a motor vehicle is used to facilitate the offense;
             156          (vii) failure to stop and render aid as required under the laws of this state if a motor
             157      vehicle accident results in the death or personal injury of another;
             158          (viii) two charges of reckless driving, impaired driving, or any combination of reckless
             159      driving and impaired driving committed within a period of 12 months; but if upon a first
             160      conviction of reckless driving or impaired driving the judge or justice recommends suspension
             161      of the convicted person's license, the division may after a hearing suspend the license for a
             162      period of three months;
             163          (ix) failure to bring a motor vehicle to a stop at the command of a peace officer as
             164      required in Section 41-6a-210 ;
             165          (x) any offense specified in Part 4, Uniform Commercial Driver License Act, that
             166      requires disqualification;
             167          (xi) a felony violation of Section 76-10-508 or 76-10-508.1 involving discharging or
             168      allowing the discharge of a firearm from a vehicle;
             169          (xii) using, allowing the use of, or causing to be used any explosive, chemical, or
             170      incendiary device from a vehicle in violation of Subsection 76-10-306 (4)(b);
             171          (xiii) operating or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having any
             172      measurable controlled substance or metabolite of a controlled substance in the person's body in
             173      violation of Section 41-6a-517 ;
             174          (xiv) until July 30, 2015, operating or being in actual physical control of a motor
             175      vehicle while having any alcohol in the person's body in violation of Section 53-3-232 ;
             176          (xv) operating or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having any
             177      measurable or detectable amount of alcohol in the person's body in violation of Section
             178      41-6a-530 ;
             179          (xvi) engaging in a motor vehicle speed contest or exhibition of speed on a highway in
             180      violation of Section 41-6a-606 ; or


             181          (xvii) operating or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle in this state
             182      without an ignition interlock system in violation of Section 41-6a-518.2 .
             183          (b) The division shall immediately revoke the license of a person upon receiving a
             184      record of an adjudication under Title 78A, Chapter 6, Juvenile Court Act of 1996, for:
             185          (i) a felony violation of Section 76-10-508 or 76-10-508.1 involving discharging or
             186      allowing the discharge of a firearm from a vehicle; or
             187          (ii) using, allowing the use of, or causing to be used any explosive, chemical, or
             188      incendiary device from a vehicle in violation of Subsection 76-10-306 (4)(b).
             189          (c) Except when action is taken under Section 53-3-219 for the same offense, the
             190      division shall immediately suspend for six months the license of a person upon receiving a
             191      record of conviction for:
             192          (i) any violation of:
             193          (A) Title 58, Chapter 37, Utah Controlled Substances Act;
             194          (B) Title 58, Chapter 37a, Utah Drug Paraphernalia Act;
             195          (C) Title 58, Chapter 37b, Imitation Controlled Substances Act;
             196          (D) Title 58, Chapter 37c, Utah Controlled Substance Precursor Act; or
             197          (E) Title 58, Chapter 37d, Clandestine Drug Lab Act; or
             198          (ii) any criminal offense that prohibits:
             199          (A) possession, distribution, manufacture, cultivation, sale, or transfer of any substance
             200      that is prohibited under the acts described in Subsection (1)(c)(i); or
             201          (B) the attempt or conspiracy to possess, distribute, manufacture, cultivate, sell, or
             202      transfer any substance that is prohibited under the acts described in Subsection (1)(c)(i).
             203          (2) The division shall extend the period of the first denial, suspension, revocation, or
             204      disqualification for an additional like period, to a maximum of one year for each subsequent
             205      occurrence, upon receiving:
             206          (a) a record of the conviction of any person on a charge of driving a motor vehicle
             207      while the person's license is denied, suspended, revoked, or disqualified;
             208          (b) a record of a conviction of the person for any violation of the motor vehicle law in
             209      which the person was involved as a driver;
             210          (c) a report of an arrest of the person for any violation of the motor vehicle law in
             211      which the person was involved as a driver; or


             212          (d) a report of an accident in which the person was involved as a driver.
             213          (3) When the division receives a report under Subsection (2)(c) or (d) that a person is
             214      driving while the person's license is denied, suspended, disqualified, or revoked, the person is
             215      entitled to a hearing regarding the extension of the time of denial, suspension, disqualification,
             216      or revocation originally imposed under Section 53-3-221 .
             217          (4) (a) The division may extend to a person the limited privilege of driving a motor
             218      vehicle to and from the person's place of employment or within other specified limits on
             219      recommendation of the trial judge in any case where a person is convicted of any of the
             220      offenses referred to in Subsections (1) and (2) except:
             221          (i) automobile homicide under Subsection (1)(a)(i);
             222          (ii) those offenses referred to in Subsections (1)(a)(ii), (a)(iii), (a)(xi), (a)(xii), (a)(xiii),
             223      (1)(b), and (1)(c); and
             224          (iii) those offenses referred to in Subsection (2) when the original denial, suspension,
             225      revocation, or disqualification was imposed because of a violation of Section 41-6a-502 ,
             226      41-6a-517 , a local ordinance which complies with the requirements of Subsection
             227      41-6a-510 (1), Section 41-6a-520 , or Section 76-5-207 , or a criminal prohibition that the person
             228      was charged with violating as a result of a plea bargain after having been originally charged
             229      with violating one or more of these sections or ordinances.
             230          (b) This discretionary privilege is limited to when undue hardship would result from a
             231      failure to grant the privilege and may be granted only once to any person during any single
             232      period of denial, suspension, revocation, or disqualification, or extension of that denial,
             233      suspension, revocation, or disqualification.
             234          (c) A limited CDL may not be granted to a person disqualified under Part 4, Uniform
             235      Commercial Driver License Act, or whose license has been revoked, suspended, cancelled, or
             236      denied under this chapter.
             237          Section 4. Section 76-5-207.5 is enacted to read:
             238          76-5-207.5. Automobile homicide involving text messaging or electronic mail
             239      communication while driving.
             240          (1) As used in this section:
             241          (a) "Handheld wireless communication device" has the same meaning as defined in
             242      Section 41-6a-1716 .


             243          (b) "Motor vehicle" means any self-propelled vehicle and includes any automobile,
             244      truck, van, motorcycle, train, engine, watercraft, or aircraft.
             245          (c) "Text messaging" has the same meaning as defined in Section 76-4-401 .
             246          (2) (a) As used in this Subsection (2), "negligent" means simple negligence, the failure
             247      to exercise that degree of care that reasonable and prudent persons exercise under like or
             248      similar circumstances.
             249          (b) Criminal homicide is automobile homicide, a third degree felony, if the person
             250      operates a moving motor vehicle in a negligent manner while using a handheld wireless
             251      communication device for text messaging or electronic mail communication at the time of
             252      operation causing the death of another.
             253          (3) (a) As used in this Subsection (3), "criminally negligent" means criminal
             254      negligence as defined by Subsection 76-2-103 (4).
             255          (b) Criminal homicide is automobile homicide, a second degree felony, if the person
             256      operates a moving motor vehicle in a criminally negligent manner while using a handheld
             257      wireless communication device for text messaging or electronic mail communication at the
             258      time of operation causing the death of another.


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