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Pa. Legislature Sends No-Texting-While-Driving Bill To Gov. Corbett

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Pretty soon, you'll have to resist the urge to pick up your cell phone and send a text response to your BFF while behind the wheel in Pennsylvania.

Governor Tom Corbett was expected sign a bill headed to his desk that will ban texting while driving in the Keystone State.

The bill on its way to the governor would make texting while driving a "primary" offense –- which means police won't have to pull you over for something else first, before citing you.

As the state senate gave final legislative approval to the measure today, state senator Tommy Tomlinson (R-Bucks County), the sponsor of the bill, referred to the years of debate over the broader issue of distracted driving legislation.

"I think this is one distracted-driving piece that we can all agree on is extremely important that we pass," he told colleagues.  "There's people who disagree on primary or secondary, there's people who disagree about using a cell phone, but I don't think that you can disagree that texting is extremely dangerous and deadly."

State senator Jim Ferlo (D-Pittsburgh) agreed in his unique way that the texting ban is long overdue:

"So I'll just conclude and say, 'OMG and hallelujah.' "

Reported by KYW Harrisburg bureau chief Tony Romeo

 

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