A bill before the NYS Senate and Assembly will make it illegal to text while walking across the street.
Fines could range from $25 to $250 depending on the number of times you get caught.
Here it is:
S T A T E OF N E W Y O R K
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5746
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
May 14, 2019
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AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to prohibiting a pedestrian from using a portable electronic device while crossing a roadway
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1.The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 1158 to read as follows:
§ 1158. USE OF PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES.
(A) NO PEDESTRIAN SHALL CROSS A ROADWAY AT ANY POINT WHILE USING ANY PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE.
(B)FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION: 1. "PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE" SHALL MEAN ANY HANDHELD MOBILE TELEPHONE, AS DEFINED BY SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE-C OF THIS TITLE, PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANT (PDA), HANDHELD DEVICE WITH MOBILE DATA ACCESS, LAPTOP COMPUTER, PAGER, BROADBAND PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICE,TWO-WAY MESSAGING
DEVICE,ELECTRONIC GAME,OR PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE, OR ANY OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICE WHEN USED TO INPUT, WRITE, SEND, RECEIVE, OR READ TEXT FOR PRESENT OR FUTURE COMMUNICATION.
2. "USING" SHALL MEAN HOLDING A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WHILE VIEWING, TAKING OR TRANSMITTING IMAGES, PLAYING GAMES, OR, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRESENT OR FUTURE COMMUNICATION: PERFORMING A COMMAND OR REQUEST TO ACCESS A WORLD WIDE WEB PAGE,COMPOSING, SENDING, READING, VIEWING,ACCESSING, BROWSING,TRANSMITTING, SAVING OR RETRIEVING E-MAIL, TEXT
MESSAGES, INSTANT MESSAGES, OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DATA.
(C) SUBDIVISION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO: 1. THE USE OF A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATING WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING REGARDING AN EMERGENCY SITUATION:AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATOR; A HOSPITAL; A PHYSICIAN'S OFFICE OR HEALTH CLINIC; AN AMBULANCE COMPANY OR CORPS; A FIRE DEPARTMENT, DISTRICT OR COMPANY; OR A POLICE DEPARTMENT.