LANSING, Mich. – A bill being pitched in Lansing on Tuesday would require Michigan drivers to use a hands-free headset to talk on the phone.
The bill is at the committee stage right now, but nobody is disagreeing that distracted driving is a major problem.
Steve Kiefer testified in front of a house panel to support the bill. The General Motors executive is asking lawmakers to require drivers to be hands-free when using a phone while driving. His 18-year-old son, Mitchel, was killed by a distracted driver.
"I really hope that you guys can find it in your heart," Kiefer said.
The bill would only allow law enforcement officers or other emergency personnel to use phones without a hands-free device.
The suggested fine is $100 for a first violation and $250 for a second violation.
The bill is being backed by a number of advocacy groups.
One carve-out in the bill is that anyone calling to report an emergency on a cellphone without a hands-free device wouldn't be ticketed.