HLSHCAHB309 26RS-10291765 ORIGINAL1262 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS Regular Session HOUSEAmendmentsproposedbyHouseCommitteeonTransportation,HighwaysandPublicWorks BILLto NO.Original House Bill No.

309 BYby REPRESENTATIVERepresentative BAYHAMBayham CRIME:AMENDMENT NO.

Provides1 forOn thepage crime2, ofdelete walkinglines on5 aand crosswalk6 whilein lookingtheir atentiretyand ainsert cellphonethe ANfollowing: ACT To amend and reenact R.S.

32:212(C)"(4)(a) andAny (D)person andwho violates the provisions of this Subsection shall be subject to enacta R.S.civil fine of twenty-five dollars.

32:212(E),(b) relativeThereshall tobearebuttablepresumptionthatanypersonwho violates the right-of-wayprovisions of pedestriansthis inSubsection crosswalks;is liable for damages arising out of the violation." Page 1 of 1 CODING:

to prohibit the use of wireless telecommunications devices when visual attention is required;

to provide for exceptions;toprovideforpenalties;toprovidefortechnicalchanges;andtoprovide for related matters.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:

Section 1.

R.S.

32:212(C) and (D) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.

32:212(E) is hereby enacted to read as follows:

§212.

Pedestrians right-of-way in crosswalks * * * C.(1) No pedestrian shall operate a wireless telecommunications device, as defined in R.S.

32:59, in a marked crosswalk in a manner which requires the visual attention of the pedestrian.

(2) Nothingin this Subsection shall prohibit a person from continuing a call on a wireless telecommunications device in a manner which does not require his visual attention for the entire time he is in the marked crosswalk.

(3) The provisions of this Subsection do not apply to a person who uses a wireless telecommunications device in a crosswalk to do anyof the following:

(a) Report a traffic collision, medical emergency, other emergency, or serious road hazard.

Page 1 of 2 CODING:

Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.

HLS 26RS-1029 ORIGINAL HB NO.

309 (b) Report a situation in which the person believes that an individual is in jeopardy of serious injury or death.

(c) Dial 911 to report a crime in progress.

(d) View a global positioning system for purposes of pedestrian navigation.

(4) Whoever violates the provisions of this Subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be fined twenty-five dollars.

C.D.

Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or at any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, thedriverofanyothervehicleapproachingfrom the rearshall not overtakeandpass such stopped vehicle.

D.E.

Subsection A of this Section shall does not apply where if the pedestrian is crossing a roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided.

DIGEST ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislative Services.

It constitutes nopart of the legislative instrument.

The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.

[R.S.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 309 Original 2026 Regular Session Bayham Abstract:

Prohibits a pedestrian from looking at a cell phone while crossing a crosswalk.

Present law provides for the rights and obligations of pedestrians while using a crosswalk.

Proposed law retains present law.

Proposed law prohibits a pedestrian from using a cell phone in any manner which requires him to look at the cell phone while he is using the crosswalk.

Proposed law clarifies that it does not prohibit talking on a cell phone in a crosswalk if the phone is held in a manner that does not require the pedestrian's visual attention.

Proposed law provides exceptions for reporting a traffic collision or other emergency, reporting a situation in which he believes someone is in jeopardyof serious injuryor death, dialing 911 to report a crime, or using a global positioning system for navigation.