Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A bill that would have prohibited anyone younger than 18 from using a cell phone while driving has been defeated in the Utah Senate, despite the measure passing a day earlier.
It is already illegal for everyone in the state to text or e-mail while driving.
Senate Bill 113, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Ross Romero of Salt Lake City. would have extended the prohibition to teens talking on cell phones. Romero has said keeping teenagers off cell phones would reduce accidents.
The bill gained final Senate passage Wednesday on a 19-8 vote. Romero on Thursday brought the bill back to make an amendment guaranteeing smoother passage in the House.
But some senators said they had a change of heart, saying the bill could lead to greater driving restrictions like making it illegal to change the radio station.
The Senate voted 15-to-12 against the bill.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
