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ALL RIGHT. THANKS. AND BEWARE. IT’S SLICK OUT THERE. WILL STATE SENATORS ADVANCED A HANDS FREE DRIVING BILL THROUGH SUBCOMMITTEE TODAY? ����vlog CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER HEARD FROM GRIEVING PARENTS AND STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AT THE STATEHOUSE. MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR THIS BILL FOR YEARS. FOR YEARS, SOME STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO BAN THE USE OF CELL PHONES WHILE DRIVING, EXCEPT IF IT’S IN HANDS FREE MODE. BUT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ENOUGH SUPPORT TO GET THAT BILL ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, THOUGH SOME STATE LAWMAKERS THINK THIS IS THE YEAR THEY COULD GET THIS SIGNED INTO LAW WITH NEW VOCAL SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNOR AND SOME NEW VOICES IN BOTH THE IOWA HOUSE AND SENATE. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. WE CAN’T LET MORE KIDS DIE JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY THOUGHT THEY NEEDED TO BE ON THAT SILLY PHONE. GRIEVING PARENTS ARE PLEADING WITH LAWMAKERS, THEIR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS WERE KILLED BY DISTRACTED DRIVERS. NOW THEY WANT A NEW STATE LAW TO CREATE CHANGE. I ASK YOU TO PASS IT AND HOPE THAT WE CAN SAVE SOME LIVES AND SAVE FAMILIES. THE AGONY OF LOSING THEIR LOVED ONE. MY DAUGHTER’S NEVER GOING TO CALL ME AGAIN AND SAY, I LOVE YOU, MOM. SENATE FILE 22 WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO TOUCH OR HOLD ELECTRONIC DEVICES WHILE DRIVING. GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS CALLED FOR THE PROPOSAL IN HER CONDITION OF THE STATE ADDRESS THIS YEAR. FOR THE SAKE OF ALL OUR LOVED ONES ON THE ROAD, LET’S FINALLY PASS LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRES DRIVERS TO KEEP THEIR EYES ON THE ROAD AND AWAY FROM THEIR PHONES. WAUKEE POLICE CHIEF CHAD MCCLUSKY SAYS STATES WITH SIMILAR LAWS ARE SEEING SUCCESS WITHIN ONE YEAR OF PASSING SIMILAR LAWS. MINNESOTA SAW A 30% REDUCTION IN TRAFFIC CRASHES. ILLINOIS SAW A 22% REDUCTION. HE CAME TO THE STATE HOUSE TO SUPPORT THE BILL. PEOPLE TEXTING, SENDING MESSAGES, PLAYING VIDEO GAMES, LOOKING AT SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCHING MOVIES. THAT IS STUFF THAT’S JUST SIMPLY INAPPROPRIATE ON A HIGHWAY. THERE’S NO ROOM FOR IT. THINGS HAPPEN JUST IN A SPLIT SECOND ON THE HIGHWAY. AND IF YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND YOU MISS THAT, THAT’S WHAT CAUSES THESE ACCIDENTS. STATE SENATORS MOVED IT FORWARD. THIS BILL DOES STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. IT WOULD NEED TO STILL PASS THROUGH COMMITTEE A FULL SENATE FLOOR VOTE, AND THEN IT WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS IN THE IOWA HOUSE AS WELL. AND OF COURSE, STILL GET A SIGNATURE FROM THE GOVERNOR BEFORE BECOMING LAW. WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK THIS LEGISLATION’S PROGRESS FROM THE IOWA STATE HOUSE.