Top bike/ped priority: Ban on texting-while-driving builds support in Jefferson City

Last week a hearing was held on Senator Pearce's bill to ban texting while driving for all drivers in Missouri and restrict cell phone use while driving.  This issue is as priority in our 2015 Legislative Platform and last week we issued an advocacy alert asking members and supporters to contact their Missouri state senator about this issue.

A statewide anti-text ban for drivers of all ages is possible this year - with your support

Since the ban on texting for young drivers was passed several years ago, support has been building to extend the anti-texting prohibition to all drivers.  Bills to that effect have been introduced and heard every year, but none of them has passed yet.

This year, several bills have been introduced to address this issue. Senator Pearce's bill is just one of them--the first out of the gate and the first to have a hearing. 

We are hopeful that this activity on this important issue represents a groundswell of support and that this year we may be the year that an anti-texting bill finally passes.

Anti-texting and driving bills have been filed this year by:

• Senator Jill Schupp - SB 274
   
• Rep. Don Gosen - HB 161
   
• Rep. Joshua Peters - HB 398
   
• Rep. Keith English - HB 450

Many thanks to every one of these legislators for their support of this important issue.  One reason it is near the top of our priority list for 2015 is that our members and partner organizations across the state have identified it as a priority issue.  In our 2013 legislative issues survey, it received a ranking as very high in priority by our members and supporters--second highest in degree of support and highest in amount of enthusiasm.

As a membership driven organization, MoBikeFed does our best to work for the high-priority legislative issues identified by our members and supporters. Improving Safety for All Road Users is one of the primary objectives of our Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri.  Your generous membership and support helps make our Vision become reality . .