The Nebraska legislature today is set to review a bill that would ban school bus drivers from using cell phones while driving in the state.
The bill, LB258, introduced by Sen. Kate Sullivan of Cedar Rapids, would prohibit drivers from using any type of interactive, wireless communication device at any time the bus is in motion. The ban would not apply to a dispatch communication device, such as a two-way radio.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, cellphone use while driving a school bus is banned in 19 states and the District of Columbia. The ban for novice drivers is restricted in 33 states as well as the District of Columbia.
Meanwhile, state lawmakers also are scheduled to hear proposed changes to Nebraska’s school-aid formula, which was expected to be adjusted this year. Under current law, state aid for schools is expected to grow by more than 10 percent during the next school year. But lawmakers have said an increase that large is unrealistic.
