In a surprise move, South Dakota House Speaker Brian Gosch has proposed a statewide ban on texting while driving. Gosch initially introduced a bill that sought to prevent local governments from imposing their own texting bans, which upset many city officials from across the state. But in the bill’s first hearing Wednesday, the Rapid City Republican presented a hog-housed version of the bill, gutting the contents, leaving the title and the number the same, but completely changed his bill to ban texting while driving statewide. He said those who have been in favor of a ban are emotional and irrational. Rapid City Police Chief Steve Allender admitted he was one of those “emotional” persons but characterized his actions as frustrated. He intended to speak on behalf of the Police Chief’s Association…
President of the South Dakota Trucking Association, former law enforcement officer and Lobbyist Myron Rau says the Legislature has prohibited commercial truck drivers from texting. He echoed Allender, but said he would support the bill…
Bob Miller, representing the South Dakota Mass Transit Association says they drive about seven-million miles on state roads every year…
Gosch says much of Allender’s testimony didn’t offer statistics…
The bill will make ordinances in cities that have already passed texting bans null and void. The House Judiciary Committee delayed a vote on the bill until Monday to give people a chance to study the new version.