Last month, Hochman & Goldin discussed the progress of Florida’s texting while driving bill, which successfully made its way through a third and final House committee. Before the bill will become law, it will be evaluated in the House and the Senate.
Miami, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/07/2018 -- If the texting while driving bill successfully becomes a law, Florida will follow the example of 43 states that already have laws in place where texting while driving is considered a primary offense. Currently, Florida has regarded texting while driving as a secondary offense since 2013, which means a driver has to be pulled over for a different reason such as speeding before he or she would receive a texting citation.
A major issue that the texting while driving bill must address is the possibility of police profiling, a concern that civil rights advocates and black legislators have expressed, according to a Miami Herald article (http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article202282094.html). To address this concern, an amendment to the bill would stipulate that police must record the driver's race and ethnicity should they be stopped for texting. If the officer intends on searching the driver's phone to confirm texting was taking place, the officer must inform the driver that they have the right to decline the search before the officer can proceed further.
About Hochman & Goldin, P.A.
Scott Hochman and Sunny Goldin, both alumni from University of Miami School of Law, have each been practicing law in Florida for over 20 years. The Miami traffic attorney has handled more than 180,000 traffic citations in the courts of Miami-Dade and Broward Counties and also represent clients in misdemeanor criminal cases. They also work as Miami expungement attorneys and are ready to assist clients.
Call 305-665-1000 for more information or to speak with a Miami traffic lawyer.