police officerFlorida House Bill 1 is on the agenda for this year’s legislative session.  It stiffens penalties for texting and driving and also carves out exceptions for emergency personnel  and navigation among others.  This bill would change a ticket for texting and driving to a non-moving violation which would have substantially higher fines than the current law.  It would also double those fines if the infraction is committed in a school zone.  Most importantly, it does not require that this ticket be issued as a secondary action.  In other words, if this Bill passes you can be pulled over for texting and driving.  And of course, once you are stopped, an officer may look to see what else is in plain view in your vehicle or ask you for consent to look around.  While there are certain exceptions for the issuing of the ticket, by the time the officer has determined if an exception exists, you will already be pulled over and communicating directly with them.  So, be careful out there, and don’t text and drive!  Doing so could land you an expensive ticket or worse if you have any other shenanigans going on inside your vehicle!