PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona is one of just three states that has no statewide ban on texting while driving, but that could change this year after a decade of failed attempts in the Legislature to outlaw it.
The death of a police officer struck by a driver who was allegedly texting his wife may be a catalyst for lawmakers to change the law.
The Senate has passed three bills to punish distracted drivers. They're held up in the House amid a disagreement among majority Republicans about how far to go in legislating behavior.
Some prefer that officers be allowed to ticket cell phone users only if they make a stop for another reason. Others want to see different rules in urban and rural areas.
Twenty-six local governments have banned texting while driving.
