PoliceNewsLink.Com
October 11, 2009

BLOOMING GROVE, Texas - Blooming Grove, south of Dallas, will become the first city in its part of Texas to enforce a new state law banning the use by motorists of cell phones in school zones.

The Texas Legislature passed House Bill 55 last spring that prohibits talking on cell phones in school zones with only a few exceptions. The law went into effect Sept. 1, but cities have to enforce it.

House Bill 55 allows three exceptions to the "no cell phones in school zones" rule: If the user has a hands-free device; if the car is not moving at the time; and if the user is calling 9-1-1 for emergency help.

Teenagers under the age of 18 may not use their cell phones while driving, whether they're in a school zone or not.