House committee holds hearing on another law to ban texting while driving for ages

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Intro:	With seven weeks remaining in the session, lawmakers are once again pushing for a ban of all ages on texting while driving. The same issue was pressed and failed last year.
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Wrap: The bill would ban texting while driving for all ages in Missouri, but would allow messages to be sent with a hands-free device.

Right now it is illegal for Missourians under age 21 to text while driving.

In a House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee hearing on the bill, Missouri Highway Patrol Superintendent Ron Replogle says the age of the texting driver is irrelevant.

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Description: Whether you're 81 or 21, if you're doing this driving down the road, you're a danger to the motoring public and yourself. In my opinion, I think we need a full bill that our law enforcement officers that our law enforcement officers can use out here to affect what is going on.

Opponents of the bill say the bill creates privacy issues and is not enforceable.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Cole Karr.

Intro:	Texting while having the pedal to the metal is a concern for pedestrians and cyclists. Missouri lawmakers are making another attempt at a full texting while driving ban.
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Wrap: Legislation heard in a Missouri House committee would ban texting while driving for all ages on Missouri roadways.

But, the bill would allow hands-free devices to be used for text messaging.

Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation Executive Director Brent Hugh says the cyclists and pedestrians take the brunt of unsafe driving. He says the issue goes beyond texting.

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Description: It's distracted driving all together. Anything that takes your attention, your eyes of the road or your driving... it can have that kind of tragedy happen in a second.

House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee Chairman Rodney Schad says he is uncertain of the bill's future but thinks it should be debated on the House floor.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Cole Karr.

Intro:	Racial discrimination is one concern voiced by a Missouri lawmaker at a House committee hearing over new texting and driving legislation.
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Wrap: Kansas City Democratic Representative Brandon Ellington is concerned that proposed texting while driving legislation for all ages could lead to discrimination.

Ellington questions how officers would determine whether or not a driver is actually texting rather than dialing, and when to pull a driver over.

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Description: If it does go into an officers word against that of somebody who's driving, do you think this opens up police departments across the state of Missouri when we talk about uh, uh... uh, what's the word I want to use? The legal word? I'm going to say driving while black.

Missouri Highway Patrol Superintendent Ron Replogle says officers must document race in all traffic reports.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Cole Karr.