Bill 18-15 Banning the use of hand held electronic devises while driving

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Bill No. Ordinance No. AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING VARIOUS SECTIONS WITHIN CHAPTER 20. ARTICLE 13 OF THE SOUTHBEND MUNICIPAL CODE BY AMENDING AND ESTABLISHING CITY- WIDE REGULATIONS BANNING THE USE OF ALL HAND -HELD ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES WHILE DRIVING, AND AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 19, SECTION 2 -213 ADDRESSING SCHEDULE OF ORDINANCE AND CODE VIOLATIONS STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT The South Bend Common Council passed Ordinance No. 9946 -09 on July 27, 2009 which created local public safety regulations banning the use of hand -held mobile telephones, mobile communication devices and telecommunication devices in school zones. Those regulations were based on the "public safety interests of helping to protect our school children, our school crossing guards, and the motoring public in our community ". At the March 23, 2015 Common Council meeting local high school students presented information and data on the State of Indiana's statewide program "Drive Now, Text L8r" campaign. Currently there are fourteen (14) states which ban the use of hand -held devices while driving. The Indiana General Assembly has not taken legislative action on prohibiting the use of all handheld devices while driving. In light of the growing public safety concerns which is resulting in a higher amount of deaths due to distracted drivers, especially among our young people, it is believed that a city -wide ban would be in the best interests of our residents and visitors to our city. This ordinance would also update the penalty provisions for the violations in the Schedule of Ordinance and Code Violations set forth in Section 2 -213 of the South Bend Municipal Code. �j /P��rP � � �r < / «ii�c < //� J/< �c»rrnci� ��ii�ci / <�J /� �"il� <J��d/ •�P�r <l, Section I. The current language codified into Section 20 -130 of Chapter 20, Article 13 of the South Bend Municipal Code is deleted and hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows: ARTICLE 13. CITY -WIDE REGULATIONS BANNING THE USE OF ALL HAND- HELD ELECTRONIC COMMUNICIATION DEVICES WHILE DRIVING. See. 20 -130 Definitions. As used in this Article: