PRINTER'S NO.  331

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

307

Session of

2009

  

  

INTRODUCED BY W. KELLER, BEYER, BOYD, BRENNAN, CARROLL, D. COSTA, P. COSTA, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, DePASQUALE, DeWEESE, GRUCELA, HARRIS, KILLION, MANN, McGEEHAN, McILVAINE SMITH, MENSCH, M. O'BRIEN, PASHINSKI, PETRI, PYLE, READSHAW, REICHLEY, SABATINA, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, K. SMITH AND VULAKOVICH, FEBRUARY 9, 2009

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 9, 2009  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

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Statutes, prohibiting the use of mobile telephones by drivers

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of school buses and school vehicles.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

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Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:

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§ 3316.  Prohibiting use of mobile telephones by drivers of

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school bus and school vehicle.

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(a)  General rule.--Except as provided in subsection (b), no

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driver shall operate a school bus or school vehicle on a highway

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of this Commonwealth, which shall include Federal, State and

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municipal highways, while using a mobile telephone.

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(b)  Exception.--This section shall not apply to a school bus

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parked in a safe area off of a trafficway as defined in section

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102 (relating to definitions).

 


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(c)  Defense.--It shall be a defense to a prosecution brought

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for a violation of this section that the driver had reason to

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fear for the driver's safety, was reporting a traffic accident

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or was making a "911" emergency call.

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(d)  Penalty.--A person who violates this section commits a

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summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay

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a fine of $250.

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Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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