Texting ban up for debate

BOISE (AP) — A proposed texting-while-driving ban for Idaho is headed to debate in the House, after senators agreed stricter limits on smart phones behind the wheel of a car would make people safer on the roads.

If the bill approved Tuesday on a 29-6 vote sounds familiar, it should.

Since 2010, Idaho lawmakers have sought unsuccessfully to settle on a measure that strikes a balance in government-wary Idaho: Find a law that representatives don’t think is too intrusive or unenforceable, while still trying to keep people safe from themselves.

Idaho’s bill isn’t nearly as strict as Washington state’s law, which bans all but hands-free devices.

Other states have stricter limits, too.

What Idaho’s bill would do is make an infraction of texting while driving, punishable with an $85 fine, including court costs.