TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Texting while driving in Florida will become a primary traffic offense punishable by fines under a bill signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis signed the bill Friday in Sarasota. Under current law, officers can only cite drivers for texting if they are pulled over for another violation.
A first offense is punishable by a $30 fine, with a second costing $60. Court costs and fees also would apply.
Read: 5 questions about Florida's texting while driving bill
The new law allows officers to stop motorists simply for texting alone.
The law takes effect July 1 when drivers will be ticketed. However, an exception to that applies to the school/work zone portion of the law where drivers cannot get a ticket for failure to use hands-free devices in those areas until January 1, which is when officers can begin writing citations.
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The texting ban does not apply to a driver using a navigation device or system, or to a driver whose vehicle is stationary.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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