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Derek D. Dieter <br />President <br />Oliver J. Davis <br />Vice - President <br />Ann Puzzello <br />Chairperson, Committee <br />of the Whole <br />Derek D. Dieter <br />First District <br />Henry Davis, Jr. <br />Second District <br />Thomas LaFountain <br />Third District <br />Ann Puzzello <br />Fourth District <br />City of South Bend <br />Common Council <br />441 County-City Building . 227 W. Jefferson Blvd <br />June 30, 2009 South Bend, Indiana 46601 -1830 <br />Members of the South Bend Common Council <br />4t' Floor County -City Building <br />South Bend, Indiana 46601 <br />(574) 235 -9321 <br />Fax (574) 235 -9173 <br />TDD (574) 235 -5567 <br />http://www.southbendin.gov <br />Re: Ordinance to Ban Hand -Held Cell Phones and Texting While Driving in <br />School Crossing Zones <br />Dear Council Members: <br />Public safety throughout South Bend is a top priority in our community. <br />Since late last Fall, we have been studying ordinances in other communities which <br />ban the use of hand -held cell phones and other texting devices while driving in <br />school crossing zones. As you can see from the map which is attached for <br />informational purposes, South Bend has many public and private schools located <br />throughout the city. Preliminary drafts of the proposed ordinance have been shared <br />with both the City Administration and the Police Department Administration prior to <br />he formal filing of this Bill with the Office of the City Clerk. <br />David Varner On July 1, 2009, a new Indiana state law will take effect which prohibits a driver of <br />Fifth District a vehicle under the age of eighteen (18) to operate a vehicle while using a <br />telecommunications device, except for 911 emergencies. <br />Oliver J. Davis <br />Sixth District <br />Al `Buddy' Kirsits <br />At Large <br />Timothy A. Rouse <br />At Large <br />Karen L. White <br />At Large <br />We believe the attached ordinance will compliment the new state law. The proposed <br />ordinance would: <br />• Prohibit a driver from using a hand -held telephone and other hand -held <br />telecommunication device to send, read or write a text while driving in a school <br />crossing zone <br />• Such prohibitions would be on school days, during the hours that the school <br />crossing zone is in effect; or where signs are posted <br />• Emergency vehicle drivers would be exempt <br />• A driver using a hands -free mobile telephone in a hands -free manner would be <br />exempt <br />• A driver who is reporting a 911 emergency would be exempt <br />