State’s Cellphone Bill Also Blocks RTK Data Access
A recent Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article covers Pennsylvania’s proposed legislation to ban handheld cellphone use by drivers that has faced criticism over a provision that restricts public access to traffic stop data. Cohen Seglias attorney and chair of the firm’s Media Law & Right-to-Know Group, Craig Staudenmaier, voiced concerns about the conflicting language in the bill. Craig remarked, “If it is a public record, it is public. You can’t give it to some people and not to others,” emphasizing the need for consistent transparency in public records.
HARRISBURG – A single sentence within a legislative bill that would allow Pennsylvania to ban handheld cellphone use by drivers – a ban long sought by lawmakers – has generated pushback from transparency advocates.
Every adjoining state already has enacted such a ban. In Pennsylvania, the concept has been discussed for years. The latest bill passed the Senate last year in a 37-11 vote and the House on April 9 in a 124-77 vote.
Before the final House vote, though, new language was added calling for police to collect data during traffic stops on the driver’s perceived race and ethnicity, among other things. The new language included a sentence that says the collected data “shall not be accessible” under the state Right-to-Know Law.
