The fate of a statewide texting and driving ban still is up in the air.
The Michigan House approved a three-bill package to ban texting while driving Tuesday, but state Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith, D-Salem Township, proposed an additional amendment that suggested using the fines from texting tickets for the state’s general fund.
While the package was approved by the state Senate, the amendment still needs approval from the Senate, said state Rep. Lee Gonzales, D-Flint, who sponsored a bill in the package.
The texting and driving ban is scheduled to take effect July 1, but because the texting bills are connected, none of them can take effect until all of the bills are approved by both the House and the Senate and signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Gonzales said.
Gonzales said he thinks the amendment should move quickly through the Senate.
“We got two of three bills completed …” Gonzales said. “Now we are trying to get this last piece through. I don’t think it’s a significant issue but still you have to negotiate.”
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