In a surprise move, South Dakota House Speaker Brian Gosch of Rapid City 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 on Wednesday, the Rapid City Republican presented a hog-housed version of the bill, essentially 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 said he had 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 said the Legislature has prohibited commercial truck drivers from texting. He echoed Police Chief Allender, but said he would support the bill…
Bob Miller representing the South Dakota Mass Transit Association said they drive about 7-million miles on the state’s streets and roads every year…
Gosch said much of Allender’s testimony didn’t offer any statistics…
Allender said this 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
