NEW YORK-The Legislature of Nassau County, N.Y., which borders New York City to the east, gave unanimous approval to a bill prohibiting handheld wireless phone use for outgoing and incoming calls by drivers while their vehicles are moving.
Pending his review of the measure, County Executive Thomas Gullet declined to comment. Should he veto the bill, which is scheduled to become law July 1, county legislators say they have enough votes for an override.
Nassau County followed the lead of its neighbor to the west, Suffolk County, which became the first county in the country to ban handheld wireless phone use by drivers. The Suffolk County law went into effect in January.
Westchester County, immediately north of New York City, also has enacted similar legislation, imposing the same $150 maximum fine per offense as Suffolk County.
The Nassau County bill, which would levy fines of up to $100, goes one step farther in its scope because it outlaws handheld dialing of outgoing calls. As is the case in the other neighboring jurisdictions, it exempts calls reporting emergencies.
New York City has banned taxicab drivers from using handheld wireless phones, except to report emergencies.
Earlier this spring, New York State Gov. George Pataki, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno publicly announced their support for the concept of restrictions on handheld wireless phone use by drivers, and they began negotiating the terms of a legislative proposal. Although legislators have been debating the idea for several years, this is the first time the idea has received such public support at the upper echelons of state government. Consequently, expectations are that a state law could be adopted this year.
