SARASOTA, Fla. — If you text and drive in Florida and think it's no big deal, that's about to change.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 107 into law Friday morning, which will make texting and driving a primary offense in Florida starting later this year. That means law enforcement officers can pull you over and give you a ticket if they see you texting and driving.
"I think it's something that's appropriate, I think it'll make our roads safer," said Gov. DeSantis during a news conference Friday morning at Sarasota High School.
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The bill originally passed the Florida House by a vote of 108 - 7.
"You can see people lose control of the vehicle, and we don't want to put people at risk," said Gov. DeSantis.
Aside from banning texting and driving in Florida, the bill will also make school zones and active work zones hands-free areas.
The new law will take effect on July 1. However, the hands-free part will not carry fines until Jan. 1, 2020.