South Dakota Senate Bill 71 proposes that the legislature make it illegal for those opperating a motor vehicle to use any handheld device to write, send or read text-based communications. It describes when sending communincations will and will not be allowed; such as it being permitted to text when the vehicle is parked.

South Dakota Senate Bill 115 says nearly the same thing except that they will be permitted if hands are free or the driver is using it to make a call.

I do think that something needs to be done about texting and driving but putting through bills to ban texting and driving may not work and would be very hard to enforce. How does an officer distinguish between someone texting and someone dialing a number to make a call. It would be nearly impossible to tell the difference.