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Oregon, Washington Lawmakers Eye Distracted Driving

NWNews | By Chris Lehman,
Chris Lehman
Published March 7, 2017 at 2:20 PM PST
A bill that would ban the use of handheld devices while driving has been introduced in the Washington Legislature.
Kevin Mooney
/
Northwest News Network
A bill that would ban the use of handheld devices while driving has been introduced in the Washington Legislature.

Lawmakers in Salem and Olympia are debating measures intended to crack down on distracted driving.

The Washington Senate approved a bill this week that would make it a violation to hold or even touch any mobile electronic device while driving. In Oregon, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony Tuesday on a similar measure.

"You're more now, I think in danger -- or your loved ones -- of being hit by someone by someone texting or messing (with their phone) then you are with someone drinking and driving,” said chief sponsor Senate President Peter Courtney.

Courtney's bill would treat using a mobile electronic device while driving as a misdemeanor. He said the legislation shows how serious he considers distracted driving to be.

Copyright 2017 Northwest News Network
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Chris Lehman
Chris Lehman graduated from Temple University with a journalism degree in 1997. He landed his first job less than a month later, producing arts stories for Red River Public Radio in Shreveport, Louisiana. Three years later he headed north to DeKalb, Illinois, where he worked as a reporter and announcer for NPR–affiliate WNIJ–FM. In 2006 he headed west to become the Salem Correspondent for the Northwest News Network.
See stories by Chris Lehman
Chris Lehman
Chris Lehman graduated from Temple University with a journalism degree in 1997. He landed his first job less than a month later, producing arts stories for Red River Public Radio in Shreveport, Louisiana. Three years later he headed north to DeKalb, Illinois, where he worked as a reporter and announcer for NPR–affiliate WNIJ–FM. In 2006 he headed west to become the Salem Correspondent for the Northwest News Network.
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