The Iowa Legislature approved a bill Tuesday that would allow police to stop and ticket drivers who are texting while driving.
The bill now goes to Governor Terry Branstadt for approval. Branstadt previously showed support for tougher regulations on the issue.
If approved by Branstadt, the bill would take effect on July 1st.
Under the current law, texting and driving is a secondary offense, meaning officers can only write a ticket for it if they have another reason to make a stop.
The bill would also expand on the current law, which only covers texting, by barring people from using games, social media and internet sites while driving.