Virginia 2018 Regular Session Status: Passed House Of Delegates

HB 181 — Improper driving; use of handheld communication device while driving vehicle.

Last action — Failed to pass

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House of Delegates
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2018 Regular Session. It reached “Passed House of Delegates” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Provides that any person who drives a motor vehicle on any highway while using a handheld personal communications device where such use substantially diverts the driver's attention from the operation of the motor vehicle is guilty of distracted driving. Current law prohibits only the reading of an email or text message on the device and manually entering letters or text in the device as a means of communication. The bill provides that distracted driving is punishable as a traffic infraction with a fine of not more than $500 and a mandatory minimum fine of $250 if the violation occurs in a highway work zone.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

43 added · 35 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent changes to Bill HB 181 focus on how distracted driving is addressed, particularly by removing certain exceptions for using handheld devices while driving. Notably, the new version clarifies that all drivers – including those in emergency and highway work situations – must adhere to stricter regulations regarding mobile device usage. Additionally, distracted driving will now be part of the driver's license knowledge examination, which aims to raise awareness and understanding of the dangers associated with it. These updates matter because they aim to enhance road safety and reduce accidents caused by distracted driving behaviors.

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Latest
SESSION history | hilite | pdf | print version 18107734D HOUSE BILL NO.
SESSION history | hilite | pdf | print version 18107898D HOUSE BILL NO.
181 FLOOR AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by Senator Surovell on March 5, 2018) (Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Collins) A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-1078.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to hands-free operation of handheld personal communications devices in motor vehicles;
181 FLOOR AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by Senator Obenshain on March 5, 2018) (Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Collins) A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-1078.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to distracted driving;
exceptions.
penalty.
Read any email or text message transmitted to the device or stored within the device, provided that this prohibition shall not apply to any name or number stored within the device nor to any caller identification information unless the handheld personal communications device is specifically designed and configured to allow voice and hands-free operation and the device is being used in that manner.
Read any email or text message transmitted to the device or stored within the device, provided that this prohibition shall not apply to any name or number stored within the device nor to any caller identification information.
The use of a handheld personal communications device for purposes of navigation or generating audio transmission, provided that such device is physically mounted to the vehicle;
Any person using a handheld personal communications device to report an emergency.
5.
The use of an amateur radio or a citizens band radio;
6.
An operator who activates, deactivates, or initiates a factory-installed feature or function on the vehicle;
7.
The operator of any Department of Transportation vehicle or vehicle operated pursuant to the Department of Transportation safety service patrol program or pursuant to a contract with the Department of Transportation for, or that includes, traffic incident management services as defined in subsection B of § 46.2-920.1, during the performance of traffic incident management services;
or 8.
Any person using a handheld personal communications device to report or in response to an emergency.
D.
Any law-enforcement vehicle operated by or under the direction of a federal, state, or local law-enforcement officer while engaged in the performance of official duties;
Any law-enforcement vehicle operated by or under the direction of a federal, state, or local law-enforcement officer;
Any emergency medical services vehicle designed or used for the principal purpose of supplying resuscitation or emergency medical services relief where human life is endangered;
Any emergency medical services vehicle designed or used for the principal purpose of emergency medical services where human life is endangered;
E.
A.
For purposes of this section, "highway work zone" means a construction or maintenance area that is located on or beside a highway and marked by appropriate warning signs with attached flashing lights or other traffic control devices indicating that work is in progress.
B.
Any person who drives a motor vehicle on any highway while using any handheld personal communications device where such use substantially diverts the driver's attention from the operation of the motor vehicle is guilty of distracted driving.
Distracted driving is a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of not more than $500.
If the violation occurs in a highway work zone, it is punishable by a mandatory minimum fine of $250.
C.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to an operator (i) of any emergency vehicle while he is engaged in the performance of his official duties;
(ii) who is lawfully stopped or parked;
(iii) using a handheld personal communications device to report an emergency;
(iv) using a handheld radio-based communications device during an emergency or disaster relief operation;
(v) using a factory-installed global positioning system or aftermarket global positioning system;
(vi) using a wireless communication device used to transmit or receive data as part of a digital dispatch system;
or (vii) activating, deactivating, or initiating a factory-installed or aftermarket-installed feature or function of the vehicle.
D.
A violation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
The provisions of this section shall not preclude prosecution under any other statute.
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Action History

  1. Failed to pass

  2. No further action taken

  3. Conferees appointed by Senate

  4. Conferees appointed by House

  5. House acceded to request

  6. Senate requested conference committee

  7. Senate substitute with amendments rejected by House 18107734D-S1 (0-Y 96-N)

  8. Passed by until the end of the calendar

  9. Passed by for the day

  10. Placed on Calendar

  11. Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute with amendments HB181S1

  12. Chair votes No

  13. Reading of amendment waived

  14. Passed by temporarily

  15. Reading of amendment waived

  16. Read third time

  17. Passed by for the day

  18. Passed by temporarily

  19. Substitute by Senator Obenshain ruled out of order 18107898D-S2

  20. Floor substitute printed 18107898D-S2 (Obenshain)

  21. Substitute by Senator Surovell agreed to 18107734D-S1

  22. Floor substitute printed 18107734D-S1 (Surovell)

  23. Reading of substitute waived

  24. Amendment by Senator Obenshain withdrawn

  25. Committee amendments rejected

  26. Read third time

  27. Passed by for the day

  28. Passed by for the day

  29. Passed by for the day

  30. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  31. Constitutional reading dispensed

  32. Passed House (50-Y 47-N)

  33. Reconsideration of defeated action agreed to by House

  34. Read third time and defeated by House (47-Y 53-N)

  35. Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB181H2

  36. Committee substitute from Courts of Justice February 9, 2018 agreed to 18107022D-H2

  37. Committee substitute from Courts of Justice February 5, 2018 rejected 18106661D-H1

  38. Read second time

  39. Read first time

  40. Rereferred to Courts of Justice

  41. Motion to rerefer to committee agreed to

  42. Read first time

  43. Assigned Courts sub: Subcommittee #1

  44. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  45. Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18101409D

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 7 co-sponsors · 140 not signed on · 79 voted No

Sponsors (1)

  • Christopher E. Collins

Co-sponsors (7)

Not signed on (140)

140 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 140 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Senate substitute with amendments rejected by House 18107734D-S1

Failed 0 Yea · 96 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 09600
Total 09600
% of votes cast 0%100%0%0%
How each member voted (96)
Member Party Vote
Habeeb — Nay
James — Nay
Landes — Nay
Rodman — Nay
Toscano — Nay
Yancey — Nay
Bell, Richard P. — Nay
Jones, S.C. — Nay
Cline — Nay
Collins — Nay
Helsel — Nay
Hugo — Nay
Ingram — Nay
Lindsey — Nay
Peace — Nay
Pogge — Nay
Stolle — Nay
Turpin — Nay
Mr. Speaker — Nay
Adams, Dawn M. — Nay
Adams, Les R. — Nay
Aird, Lashrecse D. — Nay
Alfonso H. Lopez — Nay
Ayala, Hala S. — Nay
Bell, John J. — Nay
Bell, Robert B. — Nay
Betsy B. Carr — Nay
Bulova, David L. — Nay
Byron, Kathy J. — Nay
C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr. — Nay
Campbell, Jeffrey L. — Nay
Carter, Lee J. — Nay
Charniele L. Herring — Nay
Christopher T. Head — Nay
Cole, Mark L. — Nay
Convirs-Fowler, Kelly K. — Nay
Danica A. Roem — Nay
David A. Reid — Nay
Davis, Glenn R. — Nay
Delores L. McQuinn — Nay
Edmunds, James E., II — Nay
Emily M. Jordan — Nay
Fariss, C. Matthew — Nay
Filler-Corn, Eileen — Nay
Fowler, Hyland F."Buddy," Jr. — Nay
Freitas, Nicholas J. — Nay
Gilbert, C. Todd — Nay
Gooditis, Wendy W. — Nay
Guzman, Elizabeth R. — Nay
Heretick, Steve E. — Nay
Hurst, Chris L. — Nay
Israel D. O'Quinn — Nay
James A. "Jay" Leftwich — Nay
James W. Morefield — Nay
Jeion A. Ward — Nay
Jennifer B. Boysko — Nay
Jennifer D. Carroll Foy — Nay
Jones, Jerrauld C. "Jay" — Nay
Joshua E. Thomas — Nay
Karrie K. Delaney — Nay
Kathy K.L. Tran — Nay
Keam, Mark L. — Nay
Knight, Barry D. — Nay
LaRock, Dave A. — Nay
Lamont Bagby — Nay
Levine, Mark H. — Nay
Luke E. Torian — Nay
M. Keith Hodges — Nay
Marcia S. "Cia" Price — Nay
Marcus B. Simon — Nay
Marshall, Daniel W., III — Nay
McGuire, John J., III — Nay
Michael J. Webert — Nay
Miyares, Jason S. — Nay
Mullin, Michael P. — Nay
Murphy, Kathleen — Nay
Orrock, Robert D., Sr. — Nay
Paul E. Krizek — Nay
Plum, Kenneth R. — Nay
Poindexter, Charles D. — Nay
R. Lee Ware — Nay
Ransone, Margaret B. — Nay
Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. — Nay
Robert S. Bloxom, Jr. — Nay
Robinson, Roxann L. — Nay
Rush, Nick — Nay
Sam Rasoul — Nay
Schuyler T. VanValkenburg — Nay
Sickles, Mark D. — Nay
Terry G. Kilgore — Nay
Terry L. Austin — Nay
Thomas A. Garrett, Jr. — Nay
Thomas C. Wright, Jr. — Nay
Todd E. Pillion — Nay
Tony O. Wilt — Nay
Vivian E. Watts — Nay

Official roll call →

Passed House

Passed 50 Yea · 47 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 504700
Total 504700
% of votes cast 52%48%0%0%
How each member voted (97)
Member Party Vote
Ayala — Yea
Bulova — Yea
Carter — Nay
Collins — Yea
Edmunds — Nay
Filler-Corn — Yea
Freitas — Yea
Gooditis — Yea
Habeeb — Yea
Heretick — Nay
Hurst — Nay
Kory — Nay
LaRock — Nay
Landes — Yea
Orrock — Yea
Pogge — Yea
Poindexter — Yea
Rodman — Nay
Rush — Nay
Tyler — Nay
Turpin — Yea
Bell, John J. — Yea
Bell, Robert B. — Yea
Cline — Yea
Cole — Yea
Fariss — Yea
Gilbert — Yea
Helsel — Yea
Hugo — Yea
Ingram — Yea
Jones, S.C. — Yea
Marshall — Yea
Mr. Speaker — Yea
Jones, J.C. — Nay
Bourne — Nay
Byron — Nay
Campbell — Nay
James — Nay
Keam — Yea
Lindsey — Nay
Miyares — Yea
Mullin — Yea
Murphy — Nay
Plum — Nay
Ransone — Yea
Robinson — Yea
Stolle — Yea
Toscano — Nay
Yancey — Yea
Alfonso H. Lopez — Nay
Barry D. Knight — Nay
Betsy B. Carr — Nay
C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr. — Nay
Charniele L. Herring — Nay
Christopher T. Head — Yea
Danica A. Roem — Nay
David A. Reid — Yea
Delores L. McQuinn — Nay
Elizabeth R. Guzman — Nay
Emily M. Jordan — Yea
Garrett McGuire — Yea
Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr. — Yea
Israel D. O'Quinn — Nay
James A. "Jay" Leftwich — Yea
James W. Morefield — Yea
Jeion A. Ward — Nay
Jennifer B. Boysko — Nay
Jennifer D. Carroll Foy — Nay
Joshua E. Thomas — Yea
Karrie K. Delaney — Yea
Kathy K.L. Tran — Yea
Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler — Nay
Kimberly Pope Adams — Yea
Kimberly Pope Adams — Nay
Lamont Bagby — Nay
Lashrecse D. Aird — Nay
Luke E. Torian — Nay
M. Keith Hodges — Yea
Marcia S. "Cia" Price — Nay
Marcus B. Simon — Nay
Mark D. Sickles — Nay
Michael J. Webert — Yea
Patrick A. Hope — Nay
Paul E. Krizek — Nay
R. Lee Ware — Nay
Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. — Nay
Robert S. Bloxom, Jr. — Yea
Sam Rasoul — Nay
Schuyler T. VanValkenburg — Yea
Terry G. Kilgore — Nay
Terry L. Austin — Yea
Thomas A. Garrett, Jr. — Yea
Thomas C. Wright, Jr. — Nay
Todd E. Pillion — Nay
Tony O. Wilt — Yea
Vivian E. Watts — Yea
Will Davis — Nay

Official roll call →

Read third time and defeated by House

Failed 47 Yea · 53 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 475300
Total 475300
% of votes cast 47%53%0%0%
How each member voted (100)
Member Party Vote
Ayala — Yea
Cole — Yea
Fariss — Yea
Freitas — Yea
Gooditis — Yea
Habeeb — Nay
Hugo — Nay
Hurst — Nay
Ingram — Yea
Kory — Nay
LaRock — Nay
Landes — Yea
Mullin — Yea
Orrock — Yea
Pogge — Yea
Poindexter — Yea
Rodman — Yea
Rush — Nay
Turpin — Yea
Tyler — Nay
Bell, John J. — Yea
Bell, Robert B. — Yea
Jones, S.C. — Yea
Bulova — Yea
Collins — Yea
Filler-Corn — Yea
Gilbert — Yea
Helsel — Yea
Keam — Yea
Levine — Yea
Mr. Speaker — Yea
Bell, Richard P. — Nay
Jones, J.C. — Nay
Marshall — Nay
Bourne — Nay
Byron — Nay
Campbell — Nay
Carter — Nay
Cline — Nay
Edmunds — Nay
Heretick — Nay
James — Nay
Lindsey — Nay
Miyares — Yea
Murphy — Nay
Peace — Nay
Plum — Nay
Ransone — Yea
Robinson — Yea
Stolle — Yea
Toscano — Nay
Yancey — Yea
Alfonso H. Lopez — Nay
Barry D. Knight — Nay
Betsy B. Carr — Nay
C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr. — Nay
Charniele L. Herring — Nay
Christopher T. Head — Yea
Danica A. Roem — Nay
David A. Reid — Yea
Delores L. McQuinn — Nay
Elizabeth R. Guzman — Nay
Emily M. Jordan — Yea
Garrett McGuire — Yea
Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr. — Yea
Israel D. O'Quinn — Nay
James A. "Jay" Leftwich — Yea
James W. Morefield — Nay
Jeion A. Ward — Nay
Jennifer B. Boysko — Nay
Jennifer D. Carroll Foy — Nay
Joshua E. Thomas — Yea
Karrie K. Delaney — Yea
Kathy K.L. Tran — Yea
Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler — Nay
Kimberly Pope Adams — Yea
Kimberly Pope Adams — Nay
Lamont Bagby — Nay
Lashrecse D. Aird — Nay
Luke E. Torian — Nay
M. Keith Hodges — Yea
Marcia S. "Cia" Price — Nay
Marcus B. Simon — Nay
Mark D. Sickles — Nay
Michael J. Webert — Yea
Patrick A. Hope — Nay
Paul E. Krizek — Yea
R. Lee Ware — Nay
Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. — Nay
Robert S. Bloxom, Jr. — Yea
Sam Rasoul — Nay
Schuyler T. VanValkenburg — Yea
Terry G. Kilgore — Nay
Terry L. Austin — Nay
Thomas A. Garrett, Jr. — Yea
Thomas C. Wright, Jr. — Nay
Todd E. Pillion — Nay
Tony O. Wilt — Yea
Vivian E. Watts — Yea
Will Davis — Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety transportation
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Frequently asked questions

What does HB 181 do?
Provides that any person who drives a motor vehicle on any highway while using a handheld personal communications device where such use substantially diverts the driver's attention from the operation of the motor vehicle is guilty of distracted driving. Current law prohibits only the reading of an email or text message on the device and manually entering letters or text in the device as a means of communication. The bill provides that distracted driving is punishable as a traffic infraction with a fine of not more than $500 and a mandatory minimum fine of $250 if the violation occurs in a highway work zone.
Who sponsors HB 181?
HB 181 is sponsored by Michael J. Webert, Christopher E. Collins, David A. Reid, David E. Yancey, Gooditis, Wendy W., Ransone, Margaret B., Bell, John J., and Mullin, Michael P..
What is the current status of HB 181?
This bill died with 2018 Regular Session. It reached “Passed House of Delegates” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HB 181?
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