A House panel has approved a bill that would toughen Iowa's regulations for texting and driving.
A subcommittee of the House Transportation Committee unanimously agreed Monday to support the legislation. It's now eligible for a full committee vote.
The bill would allow a law enforcement officer to pull over a driver specifically for texting.
It's a secondary offense under current law, meaning an officer must have another reason to initiate a traffic stop.
The law now prohibits drivers operating a vehicle from using a cellphone or other hand-held electronic communication device to write, send or read a text message.
The bill would expand those rules to include use of social media, games and internet sites. The Senate passed the bill 43-6 this month, an indication of bipartisan support.
