MARTIN TO SEVERAL OPEN RAPE INVESTIGATIONS. >>> IT‘S NOW TIME FOR THE
WEEKLY WITH NEWS 6 MORNING
ANCHOR JUSTIN WARMOTH.
>> ANCHOR: AND GOOD MORNING.
I‘M JUSTIN WARMOTH.
THE FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE SESSION
IS COMING TO AN END AND NEWS 6
HAS BEEN WATCHING CLOSELY IS
THE DISTRACTED DRIVING BILL
MAKING TEXTING WHILE DRIVING A
PRIMARY OFFENSE.
AND JOINING US THIS MORNING IS
NEWS 6 ANCHOR MATT AUSTIN WHO
IS IN TALLAHASSEE ALL WEEK
PUSHING TO DRIVE CHANGE AND
JUST TAKE US THROUGH, YOU KNOW,
YOUR TIME LINE UP IN
TALLAHASSEE.
YOU GOT THERE TUESDAY MORNING,
RIGHT?
TAKE US THROUGH UNTIL WHERE WE
ARE TODAY.
>> IT SOUNDS GOOD.
YEAH, 5 A.M., WE LEAVE TOWN
HERE TO GET THERE AND WE HAVE
TO PLAN WAY AHEAD FOR THE TRIP
TO GET THERE AND THINGS ARE
GETTING STARTED AT 10:00 ON
TUESDAY.
WE KNEW THE HOW WAS TAKING UP
THIS BILL.
THE BIG WORRY IS THE HOUSE BILL
IS BIGGER THAN THE SENATE BILL.
THE HOUSE, WE GOT THERE AND
PEOPLE EXPECTED THE SENATE TO
VOTE THAT DAY IS WHAT I WAS
HEARING AND WE WATCH THE SENATE.
THE SENATE DIDN‘T VOTE SO THE
HOUSE WAS LIKE, HEY!
I WAS THE ONE WHO TOLD THE
HOUSE THIS.
THE SENATE DIDN‘T VOTE, BUT
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
THEY SAID MAYBE WE‘LL VET TODAY
AND WHOEVER VOTED FIRST WOULD
PUT THE PRESSURE ON THE OTHER
ONE.
>> ANCHOR: EXACTLY.
>> AND THEY HAD THE UPPER HAND
IN THE NEW YORKS BASICALLY.
AND THERE IS THIS WEIRD, I
DON‘T KNOW IF YOU EVER HEARD OF
THIS, I JUST LEARNED THIS THIS
WEEK, THERE IS THAT CRAZY THING
THAT HAPPENS.
IF BILLS ARE SET TO BE
DISCUSSED ON THE SAME DAY AND
THEY‘RE BOTH VOTOD THAT DAY AND
THEY CROSS, THERE IS SOMETHING
CALLED CROSSING IN THE NIGHT.
AND IF THE BILLS DON‘T MATCH
AND THEY VOTE HIM OUT ON THE
SAME DAY, THE BILLS DIE.
JUST STRAIGHT DIE.
IT IS SOME CRAZY TALLAHASSEE
RULE.
>> ZERO SENSE.
>> EXACTLY.
IT MAKES SENSE FOR TALLAHASSEE
AND ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD
AND THEN DOESN‘T RULE.
>> AND THE HOUSE VOTES
OVERWHELMINGLY, RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS
AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE
CONCERNS I FEEL LIKE WE
EXPECTED.
BUT THEY OVERWHELMINGLY PASSED
IT.
TALK ABOUT THOSE CONCERNS AND
WHERE IT WENT FROM THERE.
>> ANCHOR: SO 104-9 WAS THE
VOTE IN THE END BUT THERE WAS A
LOT OF DISCUSSION AND THIS IS
DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN
GOING ON FOR YEARS NOW.
SO ONE OF THE BIG WORRIES WITH
TEXTING AND DRIVING IS THAT IT
WILL GIVE BAD POLICE OFFICERS
ANOTHER REASON TO PULL OVER A
MINORITY AND SO TO ADDRESS THAT
ISSUE BUILT INTO THIS BILL IS A
WAY TO COLLECT DATA SO EVERY
TIME AN OFFICER GIVES THE
TEXTING AND DRIVING TICKET HE
HAS TO WRITE DOWN THE ETHNICITY
OF THE PERSON HE‘S GIVING IT TO.
THAT WILL HELP HIM KEEP TRACK
OF, HEY, AN OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY COMPARED TO THE
DEMOGRAPHICS OF AFRICAN
AMERICANS BEING PULLED OVER AND
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
SO TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS,
THEY‘RE KEEPING TRACK OF THE
DATA AND THE SAME ISSUE POPPED
UP WITH SEAT BELT LAWS.
FRANRA*FLAWAS ONE OF THE LAST
STATES TO SAY YOU NEED TO MAKE
IT AN OFFENSE AND THE FIRST
COUPLE OF YEARS IT WAS TRUE TO
PULL OVER AFRICAN AMERICANS BUT
MORE RECENTLY IT IS COMPARED TO
THE DEMOGRAPHICS IT IS PRETTY
EQUAL.
>> AND FLORIDA TO PASS
SOMETHING.
PARFOR THE COURSE, RIGHT?
THEN IT WENT TO THE SENATE,
EVENTUALLY.
>> YES.
>> BUT THERE WERE CONCERNS
ABOUT HANDS FREE AND ULTIMATELY
WHERE THEY LANDED TO HOW THEY
AMENDED IT.
>> SO THE SENATE REALLY WANTED
A HAND FREE BILL AND TO BE
HOONEST IT‘S A BETTER BILL.
THE DIFFERENCE FOR THOSE
WATCHING BETWEEN TEXTING AND
HANDS FREE.
IN THE HOUSE SIDE THE TEXTING
BILL, WHEN AN OFFICER HAS TO
SEE YOU TYPING INTO YOUR PHONE
SEVERAL TIMES.
AND THAT DOESN‘T INCLUDE A
SWIPE.
SO YOU CAN STILL KIND OF SWIPE
THROUGH INSTAGRAM OR YOU CAN
EACH HOLD YOUR PHONE AND WATCH
NETFLIX WITH THE HOUSE BILL.
I DON‘T REALLY LIKE THAT.
NOW THE SENATE BILL, YOU CAN‘T
EVEN HOLD YOUR PHONE.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE JUMP
INTO A REALLY GOOD PLACE FOR A
LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO BE
SAFE ON THE ROADS AND SO THE
SENATE, THE SENATE BILL WAS
GREAT.
I WAS TOLD IN THE HOUSE THERE
WERE PEOPLE WHO WOULD NEVER GO
FOR A FULL HANDS FREE BILL.
SO THEN IT KIND OF, I WAS
HEARING RUMBLINGS THAT THE
HOUSE WOULD MAYBE GO FOR A
SCHOOL ZONE IF YOU CAN DO HANDS
FREE IN A SCHOOL ZONE.
AND I KIND OFS TOED IT OUT
THERE TO MY FRIEND WHO BE
LOBBYISTS AND PAYING TEENGZ
THIS STUFF AND LAUGHED AT ME.
THIS IS THE DAY BEFORE IT CAME
OUT AND FLOATING THAT IDEA OUT
THERE QUITE A BIT AND THE
SENATOR THAT CAME OUT, HE
AMENDED AND THEN IT IS TO BE
HANDS FREE IN THE SCHOOL ZONE
AND THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND
THE REST OF THE STATE SHOULD BE
TEXTING AND DRIVING THE WAY THE
HOUSE WANTS.
IT TURNED OUT TO BE A
COMPROMISE.
>> I THINK SO.
THE SENATE BILL WILL EVENTUALLY
BE, WELL, TAKE US THROUGH THE
NEXT STEP OF THE PROCESS.
IT DOESN‘T GO TOO FAR INTO THAT
AND EARLIER THIS WEEK AND THEN
IT‘S GOING TO VOTE ON THE
SENATE‘S AMENDMENTS AND THEN
ULTIMATELY THE GOVERNOR‘S DESK.
>> SO THE SENATE TOOK THE
HOUSE‘S BILL AND AMENDED THAT
WITH THE SCHOOL ZONES AND
CONSTRUCTION ZONES AND THEN
THEY‘LL HAVE TO KICK IT BACK TO
THE HOUSE AND THEN IF THEY PASS
IT, WHICH I‘M TOLD THEY WILL,
THE PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE SAY
THEY‘RE VERY CONFIDENT THAT
THIS WILL PAS THERE.
IF THAT HAPPENS, IT WILL GO TO
THE GOVERNOR‘S DESK TO SIGN IT
AND HE IS, HE HAS A POKER FACE
ON AWFUL THIS AND HASN‘T TALKED
ABOUT IT A WHOLE LOT AND
SIGNING THE BILL.
>> IT SEEMS LIKE WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT BEFORE WE WENT ON
THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW
SOME OF THE LAWMAKERS JUST
AREN‘T EXPECTING TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS AND THEN IT IS GOING
TO SEE AND YEANING THE GOVERNOR
WAS EXPECTING A QUESTION FROM
YOU ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HE‘D
SIGN IT.
IS THAT THE FEELING YOU GOT?
>> AND EVEN THE PEOPLE IN THE
GOVERNOR‘S OFFICE AND I RAN
INTO THE DIRECTOR AND WAS AT A
PRESS CONFERENCE TALKING ABOUT
TEXTING AND DRIVING.
SO I PULL THEM ASIDE AND THIS
IS SOMEONE I NEVER GOT TO SPEAK
TO.
IS THE GOVERNOR GOING TO SIGN
THE BILL AND I SAID I NEVER
TALKED TO HIM ABOUT IT.
I SAID YOU‘RE THE SECRETARY OF
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION?
YOU NEVER HAD A DISCUSSION
ABOUT THOSE BILLS?
WHAT IS HAPPENING.
TALKING LAST YEAR WITH 52,000
PEOPLE THAT GOT IN DISTRACTED
CRASHES AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
DIED.
THERE ARE VERY FEW ISSUES THAT
PASS THROUGH THE CAPITOL THAT
WILL AFFECT EVERY SINGLE PERSON
IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
THIS IS ONE OF THEM.
HOW COME NO ONE IS TALKING
ABOUT IT.
AND BEFORE A FEW YEARS AGO
PEOPLE WERE SHOCKED WHEN I
WOULD ASK THEM TEXTING AND
DRIVING QUESTIONS AND THEY
DIDN‘T KNOW.
THEY HAD NO PREPARATION FOR IT
WHICH WAS GOOD FOR ME AND MADE
FOR GOOD TV, BUT THEY WERE
SURPRISE AND DODGING ME.
WE SHOWED VIDEO BEFORE WHERE
I‘M RUNNING AROUND THE CAPITOL
AND HEY, CAN I TALK TO YOU
ABOUT TEXTING AND DRIVING?
THEY JUST TAKE OFF RUNNING.
IT‘S CRAZY.
>> AND YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN
A 3-YEAR BATTLE AND SINCE WE‘VE
BEEN PUSHING TO DRIVE CHANGE,
YOU‘VE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT.
OBVIOUSLY IF PEOPLE ARE JUST
NOW SEEING THIS, AND JUST
BECOMING AWARE, YOU ARE
DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE
DITRACTED DRIVER.
TELL US ABOUT THAT NIGHT
LEAVING THE STATION.
>> AND IT WAS MIDNIGHT AND
GOING HOME AFTER A LONG DAY AND
WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT THE
LAST THING I REMEMBER IS THIS
REALLY LOUD NOISE.
AND THEN I WOKE UP!
AND I WAS MUMBLING TO MYSELF
AND PEOPLE WERE SCREAMING ON
THE SIDE OF THE ROAD LIKE
SOMETHING JUST HAPPENED AND
I‘VE NEVER BEEN SO CONFUSED IN
WHAT WAS GOING ON AND I FELT
LIKE A COLD DRIP ON THE BACK OF
MY NECK AND SO I STUCK MY HAND
BACK THERE AND I LOOKED AT MY
HAND AND IT WAS JUST COVERED IN
BLOOD AND SOMEONE RUNS OUT IN
THE ROAD AND YOU NEED TO GET TO
THE SIDE!
I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO PULL MY
CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
AND I‘M LIKE I NEED TO CALL 911
AND I COULDN‘T REMEMBER MY CODE
TO LUN OCMY PHONE.
I COULDN‘T FIGURE OUT HOW TO
DIAL 911.
IT WAS PRET RIFYING AND I WAS
JUST NUMB AND CONFUSED AND GOT
OUT OF MY CAR AND I SAID CAN
YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE BACK OF
MY HEAD?
AND SO I TURNED AROUND AND I
REMEMBER THIS GIRL LET OUT THIS
HUGE CUSS WORD AND SCREAMED AND
WAS JUST DISGUSTED AT THE SIGHT
OF THE BACK OF MY HEAD BECAUSE
IT WAS JUST POURING OUT BLOOD.
I NEEDED 10 STAPLES WITH A
PRETTY SEVERE CONCUSSION AND
I‘VE NEVER RECOVERED FROM ONE
LIKE THIS BEFORE.
I COULDN‘T LISTEN TO TV OR
SOUNDS AND MY ONLY FORM OF
ENTERTAINMENT, MY LITTLE GIRL
WOULD COME IN AND READ BOOKS TO
ME AND THAT WAS NICE.
>> AND THE DRIVER.
DISTRACTED.
>> DISTRACTED.
>> ADMITTEDLY SO.
>> SO WHEN I WAS IN THE
EMERGENCY ROOM AND I
RECOMMENDER THIS VIVEDLY FROM
THAT NIGHT AND THE OFFICER,
WHAT WAS THAT GUY DOING?
WAS HE DRUNK?
>> NOPE.
HE WAS TEXTING ON HIS PHONE.
AND I GO IS HE HEAD TOD JAIL
RIGHT NOW?
BECAUSE HE JUST DESTROYED MY
CAR AND PUT ME HERE.
HE GOES YOU CAN‘T ARREST
SOMEONE FOR BEING STUPID.
AND I‘M LIKE, WELL WHY NOT?
YOU KNOW?
SO THAT CONFUSED ME AND IT DID
NOT READ ONE LINE IN THERE THAT
THIS KID, THOUGH HE ADMITTED TO
THE POLICE OFFICER HE WAS
TEXTING, DIDN‘T SAY ONE THING
ABOUT IT AND IN FACT IT SAID HE
WAS NOT TICKETED FOR ON WHICHES
WHEN I SAW THE POLICE REPORT.
SO WRECKS MY CAR, PUTS MY LIFE
IN DANGER, FOR DOING SOMETHING
STUPID ADMIT LEED FROM THE
POLICE OFFICER AND HE GETS NO
REPERCUSSIONS FOR IT.
THAT WAS AMAZING FOR ME AND
THAT IS WHAT STARTED THIS CRAZY
JOINER.
>> AND WE‘LL TAKE ANOTHER --
JOURNEY.
>> AND WE‘LL TAKE ANOTHER DEEP
DIVE AND WHY IT NEVER GOT
PASSED IN THE TIME YOU‘VE BEEN
PUSHING TO GET IT PASSED IN THE
>> ANCHOR: AND WELCOME BACK. FLORIDA LAWMAKERS ARE CLOSE TO PASINGING A LAW TO MAKE
TEXTINGS WHILE DRIVING A
PRIMARY OFFENSE.
SOMETHING NEWS 6 ANCHOR MATT
AUSTIN HAS BEEN THE FACE OF AND
PUSHING FOR FOR 3 YEARS NOWMENT
SO BEFORE WE WENT TO BREAK,
MATT, TALKING ABOUT THE CRASH
THAT ULTIMATELY HAS LED US TO
THIS SPOT WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
WHEN THAT PERSON HIT YOU AND
THEY WERE DISTRACTED BY THEIR
CELL PHONES, DID YOU HEAR
ANYTHING BEFORE YOU WOKE UP AND
LIKE CAME TO YOUR SENSES?
DID YOU, IS THAT JUST A BOOM,
YOU GOT HIT?
>> REPORTER: ALL I HEARD WAS A
REALLY LOUD, LIKE A THUNDER,
AND THEN I WOKE UP.
>> ANCHOR: SO IT WASN‘T LIKE
THE SQUEAL OF BRAKES.
>> HE HIT ME PROBABLY GOING 50
MPH AT LEAST AND THAT IS HOW HE
DESTROYED THE BACK OF MY CAR.
MY TRUFRPG WAS GONE AND HE HIT
RIGHT INTO THE CAGE OF THE BACK
SEAT AND THAT‘S WHERE MY LITTLE
GIRLS ALWAYS SIT.
IF I‘M NOOT DRIVING TO AND FROM
WORK MY LITTLE GIRLS ARE BACK
THERE AND MY WIFE TO KEEP THE
LITTLEST ONE SAFE, SHE BOUGHT
THIS BURKA LOUNGER CAR SEAT AND
I PUT IT BEHIND ME SEAT AND I‘M
KIND OF A TALL GUY AND I KIND
OF LOUNGE BACK WHEN I‘M DRIVING
AND THIS CAR SEAT TIPS IN AND
ITA S ALMOST TOUCHING THE
BABBLING OF MY HEAD WHEN
DRIVING SO WHEN HE HIT, HE HIT
WITH SUCH FORCE THAT MY SEAT
WENT BACK AND THAT SEAT CLOCKED
ME IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD AND
I REALIZED, I LOOKED AT IT
AFTER, AND REALIZED WHAT
SCRATCHED ME SO BAD?
THERE ARE THESE BIG KIND OF
HOOKS BACK THERE AND THAT JUST
RAN UP THE BACK OF MY HEAD AND
GO BACK DOWN AND THAT‘S WHAT
CUT THAT MEAT BACK THERE.
IT IS A GOOD THING I HAVE A
HEARD HEAD LIKE MY WIFE TELLS
ME.
>> AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
TEXTING AND DRIVING AND WHY
THAT IS NOT ILLEGAL IN THE
STATE OF FLORIDA.
AND IT IS ILLEGAL AND JUST
ABOUT EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE
UNITED STATES.
THIS, 46 OTHER STATES HAVE
PASSED SOMETHING.
SO WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG WHEN
IT COMES TO FLORIDA, DO YOU
THINK?
>> REPORTER: IT IS HARD TO NAIL
DOWN.
I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY TO ME
SOME OF THESE GUYS DEFEND
TEXTING AND DRIVING AS IF THEY
GIVE A RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER YOU
WANT IN YOUR CAR.
BUT THEN SOME PEOPLE THINK
MAYBE THERE IS A LOBBYING GROUP
OR MONEY BEHIND KEEPING TEXTING
AND DRIVING LEGAL.
MY THEORY IS AFTER WORKING ON
THIS FOR 2 AND A HALF YEARS IS
THESE PEOPLE IN TALLAHASSEE
HAVE A LOT OF REALLY
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES THEY‘RE
WORKING ON, THAT ARE ON THE
FRONT OF THEIR MIND.
AND TEXTING AND DRIVING IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY CARE
ABOUT.
IT‘S NOT SOMETHING THAT A
LOBBYIST IS BUYING THEM A STEAK
DINNER TO LISTEN TO.
IT‘S NOT SOMETHING WHERE
THEY‘RE SHOVING INFORMATION
ABOUT THEIR FACE ABOUT AND
WOOING THEM ABOUT.
AND IF IT IS NOT ONE OF THOSE
THINGS, THEY DON‘T WANT TO
WASTE THEIR TIME.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS A THANKLESS
JOB IN TALLAHASSEE.
VERY FEW BILLS TO JUST SAVE
LIVE OSER PROTECT PEOPLE
HAPPEN, SO IT IS HARD TO GET IN
FRONT OF THOSE PEOPLE IF YOU‘RE
NOT PUTTING MON OR STEAKS IN
FRONT OF THEM.
SO WE HAD TO, SINCE WE DON‘T
HAVE THAT, WE CAN‘T HIRE
LOBBYISTS AT THE NEWS STATION.
WE CAN‘T LOBBY FOR BILLS.
I HAVE THE TV.
ONE THING A POLITICIAN HATES IS
LOOKING BAD ON TV AND THAT‘S
ONE THING WE CAN DO PRETTY WELL
HERE AT NEWS 6.
>> ANCHOR: ONE GENTLEMAN WHO
LOOKED FRANKLY HE LOOKED PRETTY
BAD.
ROB BRADLEY.
THAT WAS LAST YEAR.
>> YEAH.
>> AND EVERYTHING WAS GOING
WELL WITH THE BILL WHEN YOU
WERE PUSHING FOR THIS LAST YEAR
AND THE HOUSE OVERWHELMINGLY
PASSED IT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
IT GOES TO THE SENATE AND GETS
BLOCKED.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU WENT UP THERE AND YOU
POINT BLANK ASKED ROB BRADLEY,
THE STATE SENATOR TO ROB
BRADLEY, WHAT‘S GOING ON HERE?
AND WHAT IS HIS RESPONSE TO
YOU?
>> HE SAID THERE WERE THINGS
ABOUT THE BILL HE DIDN‘T LIKE.
EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ADDRESSED
IN THE BILL.
IT IS REALLY CONFUSING.
HE DIDN‘T HAVE GREAT ANSWERS.
>> BUT THEN HE ULTIMATELY, WHAT
IS INTERESTING IN HOW I TOOK IT
IS HE INITIALLY SAID I DON‘T
LIKE IT AND PROBABLY CAME TO
THE REALIZATION THERE IS
NOTHING WRONG WITH IT BUT
WANTED TO FLIP FLOP, RIGHT?
>> YEAH, WELL, THERE IS IT‘S
COMPLICATED.
IF THE HOUSE PASSED THIS 112-2
LAST YEAR, THEY OBVIOUSLY
WANTED IT.
AND SO SOME PEOPLE SAY OR ASK
THE QUESTION, WAS ROB BRADLEY
USING THIS TO TRY TO GET
SOMETHING ELSE?
MAYBE I‘LL PUT THIS THROUGH MY
COMMITTEE IF YOU GIVE ME
SOMETHING I‘M ASKING FOR.
>> INTERESTING.
>> REPORTER: I DID HAVE PEOPLE
TELL ME THAT THAT WAS THE CASE.
ROB BRADLEY DENIED THAT
VEHEMENTLY.
I MUST SAY, BUT MY QUESTION,
EVEN IF YOU DON‘T LIKE A BILL.
THIS IS THE CRAZY THING ABOUT
TALLAHASSEE.
IT‘S THE DEMOCRACY.
ROB BRADLEY?
I DIDN‘T VOTE FOR YOU.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WATCH
ME ON TV DON‘T KNOW YOUR NAME
OR WHERE YOU‘RE FROM OR HOW YOU
GOT THERE.
WHY ARE YOU ABLE TO BLOCK A
BILL THAT COULD PROTECT ME AND
THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE THE
CHANCE TO VOTE FOR.
THEY DON‘T HAVE ANY SAY IN THAT.
THAT‘S WHAEZWHAT‘S CRAZY TO A
LOT OF PEOPLE.
IT DOESN‘T SOUND VERY MUCH LIKE
DEMOCRACY WHEN ONE DUDE YOU
DIDN‘T VOTE FOR IS KEEPING YOU
FROM BEING SAFE.
>> ANCHOR: THAT‘S WHAT IT TAKES
AND ONE PERSON BLOCKING A BILL
AND IT IS CRAZY.
BUT THIS TIME AROUND HE‘S NO
LONGER IN THAT POSITION OR THE
COMMITTEE OR THE BILL TO GO
THROUGH THAT COMMITTEE.
>> BUT SOMEHOW THE BILL IS
GOING THROUGH A DIFFERENT
COMMITTEE THIS YEAR.
>> TIRED OF SEEING MATT AUSTIN
UP THERE.
>> I DON‘T THINK ROB BRADLEY
WANTED TO MEET WITH ME AGAIN.
>> TAKE ME BACK TO WHEN SESSION
STARTED AND WE‘RE FOLLOWING
THIS AND BILLS ARE FILED AND
THERE IS SERIOUS MOMENT UP AND
I FEEL LIKE WE HAD AN
EXPECTATION THAT YES, THIS
WOULD BE THE TIME IT GOES AND
GOES AND GOES THROUGH.
>> YEAH, WELL, WE GOT NEW
LEADERSHIP AND THAT IS A LITTLE
TOUGH SOMETIMES AND I WAS
HEARING THAT MAYBE THAT
LEADERSHIP WASN‘T SUPPORTIVE OF
IT AND NOW I HAVE TO MAKE NEW
INROADS TO TRY TO TALK TO
PEOPLE AND DISCUSS AND IT
TURNED OUT THAT LEADERSHIP WAS
PRETTY OPEN TO THIS AND THAT IS
WHAT IT S DOWN TO.
IF THE HOUSE SPEAKER OR SENATE
PRESIDENT IS AGAINST THE BILL
IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THAT
BILL HAS ZERO CHANCE MENTSO IT
TURNED OUT THE NEW LEADERSHIP
WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
AND THEY ENDED UP GOING FOR IT
AND ALLOWING IT TO GO THROUGH
THOSE COMMITTEES AND IT LOOKS
LIKE WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD SHOT
HERE.
>> SO JUST TO REITERATE, THIS
WOULD MAKE TEXTING WHILE
DRIVING A PRIMARY OFFENSE.
LET‘S TALK ABOUT THE
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SECONDARY
OFFENSE AND PRIMARY OFFENSE.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE FULL
SCREEN GRAPHIC UP AND TAKE US
THROUGH THIS, MATT.
>> ANCHOR: IF YOU‘RE A
SECONDARY OFFENSE, LIKE FLORIDA
IS RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN BE
TEXTING AND DRIVING AND DRIVE
RIGHT PAST A POLICE OFFICER.
HE COULD WATCH YOU AND IF
YOU‘RE IN THE SPEED LIMIT AND
YOU‘RE WITHIN THE LANES, THERE
IS NOT A THINGY HE CAN DO ABOUT
IT.
AND THEY CAN PULL YOU OVER
FOREVER REGISTRATION VIOLATION
OR TAIL LIGHT, BUT YOU‘RE NOT
LOOKING AT THE ROAD, THEY CAN‘T
PULL YOU OVER.
NOW IT‘S A PRIMARY OFFENSE AND
HOPEFULLY WILL BE A PRIMARY
OFFENSE, I SHOULD SAY.
I DON‘T WANT TO COUNT MY EGGS
BEFORE THEY‘RE HATCHED HERE.
>> IT IS TALLAHASSEE.
>> YES, IT IS.
>> IF THEY SEE YOU TEXTING IF
THE PHONE ANYWHERE, THEY WOULD
BE ABLE TO PULL YOU OVER AND IT
IS A PRIMARY OFFENSE AND NOW IN
THE SCHOOL ZONE OR A WORK ZONE,
IF HOUSE GOES FOR THIS, YOU
CAN‘T EACH HOLD YOUR PHONE.
SO TELL BE A BIT OF AN
EDUCATION PROCESS FOR PEOPLE IN
THE STATE OF FLORIDA BECAUSE
YOU COME THROUGH CONSTRUCTION
ZONES ALL THE TIME.
I-4 IS ALL IT IS IS A
CONSTRUCTION ZONE.
SO TELL BE A HANDS FREE ZONE
UNTIL THAT CONSTRUCTION IS GONE.
>> YOU KNOW, WE‘RE OUT OF TIME,
MATT, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU
TAKING US THROUGH THIS ENTIRE
TIME LINE AND, YOU KNOW, I‘M
GLAD THAT THIS IS REALLY PAYING
OFF AND WE‘RE MAKING FLORIDA
SAFER AND IT IS A LONG-TIME
COMING AND GETTING SOMETHING
LIKE THIS PASSED AND NO DOUBT
ABOUT THAT.
SO IF WE HAVE WAY MORE
INFORMATION, TOO, ON
CLICKORLANDO.COM, AGAIN, THE
VOTE COULD BE HAPPENING EARLY
THIS WEEK SO MATT AND THE REST
OF THE TEAM HERE AT NEWS 6 WILL
KEEP YOU UPDATED WITH THE
LATEST FROM TALLAHASSEE.
FOR MATT AUSTIN, I‘M JUSTIN
WARMOTH.
HOPE YOU HAVE A