City backs off cell phone ban, for now

COEUR d'ALENE - The city of Coeur d'Alene is tapping the brakes on any proposed cell phone ban.

At least for now, but the discussion could come back up at the municipal level should legislation on texting and chatting with cell phones while driving fail in Boise."We will continue to allow the state to drive the bus on this," said Mike Kennedy, city councilman and general services committee chairman.

The city's legal team reported its findings back to the committee Monday on how legal it would be for the city to implement a rule banning talking and texting from behind the wheel since the state doesn't.The state does have a broader law against inattentive driving, but does not target cell phones specifically.

Cities can do it themselves, City Attorney Mike Gridley told the committee, but two bills are currently being discussed in the Idaho Senate; one including texting and driving as inattentive driving and punishable by up to $300 in fines, and another making chatting and driving (except for hands-free devices or during emergencies) a $75 ticket."I think we could regulate it if the state doesn't," Gridley said. "But it looks like the state is taking it seriously."

The committee said it would wait to see what happens during the legislative session before bringing the topic back up at the city level.