ST. PAUL, Minn. – Yesterday, advocates for legislation to ban handheld cellphone use while driving learned that House Republican leadership would not be bringing it up for a floor vote this session. Today, Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL – Minneapolis) attempted to suspend procedural rules to allow an immediate vote on the bill. The effort was defeated largely along partisan lines with DFLers in favor and Republicans in opposition.
State Rep. Jen Schultz (DFL – Duluth) released the following statement:
“No one has been able to articulate why this measure can’t move forward this session. Simply put, this bill will save lives and the families of those who have lost loved ones to distracted driving deserve more than excuses and empty promises of action in the future. My family members and I were victims in three different crashes caused by distracted drivers. The failure to pass this bill is a failure on the part of Republican leadership, and Minnesotans are right to be disappointed by this.”