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Hands-Free Driving Conversation Continues With New Bills Introduced In Michigan State House

Driving
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Texting while driving

Michigan could become a completely hands-free driving state.  A new bill in the state House comes after Governor Gretchen Whitmer made distracted driving a priority during her State of the State address.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that the state needs to make distracted driving a priority during her address.  And Democratic Representative Mari Manoogian thinks she has the answer. 

Manoogian introduced a bill that would ban any use of mobile devices – except in a voice-operated or hands-free mode – while driving.  There would be an exception for autonomous vehicles.

“We wanted to make sure that we included something in there that is forward thinking about the new technology hopefully in our state.”

The bill is currently waiting for a committee hearing in the state House.  Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield says he wants to do more research on the issue.

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—Cheyna Roth is a reporter for the Michigan Public Radio network.  Contact WEMU News at734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org

Before becoming the newest Capitol reporter for the Michigan Public Radio Network, Cheyna Roth was an attorney. She spent her days fighting it out in court as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Ionia County. Eventually, Cheyna took her investigative and interview skills and moved on to journalism. She got her masters at Michigan State University and was a documentary filmmaker, podcaster, and freelance writer before finding her home with NPR. Very soon after joining MPRN, Cheyna started covering the 2016 presidential election, chasing after Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and all their surrogates as they duked it out for Michigan. Cheyna also focuses on the Legislature and criminal justice issues for MPRN. Cheyna is obsessively curious, a passionate storyteller, and an occasional backpacker. Follow her on Twitter at @Cheyna_R
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