ATLANTA — The Georgia Senate has rejected a bill that would have allowed Peach State drivers to touch their phones at a red light.
The vote for SB 203 failed by 35 to 14 on Wednesday afternoon.
The bill stated that Georgia drivers could have used their phones while on a mount if they come to a complete stop; like at a red light, stop sign, or safe area.
Under SB 203, drivers couldn't be charged with an offense if their device was secured to a stand or some other kind of mount built to support the phone on either the vehicle's dashboard or from their windshield.
Currently, motorists in Georgia are prohibited from having a phone in their hand or using any part of their body to support a phone under the state's hands-free law -- which took effect in July of 2018.
Drivers are only permitted to use their phones to make or receive phone calls through speakerphone, earpiece, wireless headphone or if the phone is connected to the vehicle itself or an electronic watch.
The SB 203 rejection comes just days after a state Senate committee postponed the vote of a similar proposal, SB 356, last week after it was amended in response to some lingering safety concerns.
SB 356 would allow drivers to touch their devices even if they were not secured to a mount.