Select Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Transportation Committee
AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF HAND-HELD MOBILE TELEPHONES BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHILE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE
SUMMARY: This act includes U. S. Armed Forces members operating military vehicles among those exempt, while performing their official job duties, from the ban on talking on a hand-held cellular telephone or using a mobile electronic device while driving on a highway. Peace officers, firefighters, and ambulance or authorized emergency vehicle drivers are also exempt.
State law defines the “armed forces” as the U. S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force and their reserve components, including the Connecticut National Guard performing duty under Title 32 of federal law.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
BACKGROUND
Cell Phone Use
Any driver at least age 18 may use a hand-held cellular phone, regardless of the prohibition, solely to communicate about an emergency with an emergency response operator, hospital, physician's office or health clinic, ambulance company, or fire or police department. School bus drivers may use hand-held cellular phones under the same circumstances and also to place emergency calls to school officials.
Authorized Emergency Vehicles
By law, an “authorized emergency vehicle” is a (1) fire department vehicle, (2) police vehicle, or (3) public service company or municipal department ambulance or emergency vehicle designated or authorized for use as an emergency vehicle by the motor vehicle commissioner (CGS § 14-1(a)).
Mobile Electronic Device
The law defines a “mobile electronic device” as any hand-held or portable electronic equipment capable of providing data communication between two or more people. It includes text messaging or paging devices, personal digital assistants, laptop computers, video game equipment, digital video disk, and equipment that takes or transmits digital photographs. It does not include audio equipment or equipment installed in the vehicle to provide (1) navigation, emergency, or other aid to the driver or (2) video entertainment to rear-seat passengers.
OLR Tracking: VR: KM: SS: DF