NEW YORK -The governor of New York and the leaders of both houses of the state Legislature said last week they will support legislation to prohibit handheld use of wireless phones while driving, except in emergencies.
At separate news conferences held April 2 in the state capital of Albany, Joseph L. Bruno, a Republican who is majority leader of the state Senate, and Sheldon Silver, a Democrat who is Assembly Speaker, both said they would endorse such a ban. This is the first time that either has taken a public stance on the issue, which neither house has yet voted on, according to The New York Times.
Gov. George E. Pataki said he hopes the Legislature will “reach an agreement and pass a bill.”
State legislators adjourned April 5 for a 12-day Easter and Passover recess.
The Legislature, as has been the case every year for many years, is in the midst of protracted negotiations over the state budget, which was due April 1. Consequently, expectations are that a law to ban handheld use of cell phones while driving probably will not be enacted until summer, just before the current session of the Legislature concludes.
In the past six months, the large and populous New York counties of Westchester and Suffolk have enacted local laws that subject drivers caught talking on handheld wireless phones to fines.
Last summer, the New York City Council implemented an ordinance prohibiting taxi drivers from talking on hand-held cellular phones while driving, except in emergencies. Cab drivers may, however, continue to use dispatch radios.
