HB 5463

General Assembly  Raised Bill No. 5463
 February Session, 2026  LCO No. 2006
Referred to Committee on TRANSPORTATION
Introduced by:
  (TRA)
 AN ACT CONCERNING HIGHWAY SAFETY.
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
 Assembly convened:
1Section 1. Section 14-296aa of the general statutes is repealed and the
2     following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026):
3(a) For purposes of this section: [, the following terms have the
4     following meanings:
5(1) "Mobile telephone" means a cellular, analog, wireless or digital
6     telephone capable of sending or receiving telephone communications
7     without an access line for service.
8(2) "Using" or "use" means holding a hand-held mobile telephone to,
9     or in the immediate proximity of, the user's ear.
10      (3) "Hand-held mobile telephone" means a mobile telephone with
11    which a user engages in a call using at least one hand.
12(4) "Hands-free accessory" means an attachment, add-on, built-in
13    feature, or addition to a mobile telephone, whether or not permanently
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14 installed in a motor vehicle, that, when used, allows the vehicle operator
15 to maintain both hands on the steering wheel.
16    (5) "Hands-free mobile telephone" means a hand-held mobile
17 telephone that has an internal feature or function, or that is equipped
18 with an attachment or addition, whether or not permanently part of
19 such hand-held mobile telephone, by which a user engages in a call
20 without the use of either hand, whether or not the use of either hand is
21 necessary to activate, deactivate or initiate a function of such telephone.
22    (6) "Engage in a call" means talking into or listening on a hand-held
23 mobile telephone, but does not include holding a hand-held mobile
24 telephone to activate, deactivate or initiate a function of such telephone.
25    (7) "Immediate proximity" means the distance that permits the
26 operator of a hand-held mobile telephone to hear telecommunications
27 transmitted over such hand-held mobile telephone, but does not require
28 physical contact with such operator's ear.]
29   (1) "Hands-free mode" means the operation of a mobile electronic
30 device by which a user engages in a voice communication or receives
31 audio without touching or holding such device, except to activate,
32 deactivate or initiate with a single touch or swipe of a user's hand.
33    [(8)] (2) "Mobile electronic device" means any hand-held or other
34 portable electronic equipment capable of providing data
35 communication between two or more persons, including, but not
36 limited to, a mobile telephone, a text messaging device, a paging device,
37 a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, equipment that is
38 capable of playing a video game or a digital video disk, [or] equipment
39 on which digital photographs are taken or transmitted, equipment to
40 display a video or moving image or any combination thereof. [, but]
41 "Mobile electronic device" does not include any audio equipment or any
42 equipment installed in a motor vehicle for the purpose of providing
43 navigation, emergency assistance to the operator of such motor vehicle
44 or video entertainment to the passengers in the rear seats of such motor
45 vehicle.
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46    [(9)] (3) "Operating a motor vehicle" means operating a motor vehicle
47 on any highway, [as defined in section 14-1,] including being
48 temporarily stationary due to traffic, road conditions or a traffic control
49 sign or signal, but not including being parked on the side or shoulder of
50 any highway where such vehicle is safely able to remain stationary.
51    (4) "Highway", "commercial motor vehicle" and "authorized
52 emergency vehicle" have the same meanings as provided in section 14-
53 1, as amended by this act.
54    (b) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and
55 subsections (c) and (d) of this section, no person shall operate a motor
56 vehicle upon a highway [, as defined in section 14-1, while using a hand-
57 held mobile telephone to engage in a call or while using] while (A)
58 holding or supporting a mobile electronic device [. An operator of a
59 motor vehicle who types, sends or reads a text message with a hand-
60 held mobile telephone or mobile electronic device while operating a
61 motor vehicle shall be in violation of this section, except that if] with any
62 part of such person's body, (B) using a mobile electronic device, unless
63 such device is being used in a hands-free mode, (C) reading, viewing or
64 typing a text message or other nonvoice message or communication on
65 a mobile electronic device, or (D) a video or moving image on a mobile
66 electronic device or an installed screen or other device of a similar nature
67 is visible to such person while seated in the normal operating position,
68 unless such moving image is a map generated by a navigation system
69 or application on such device or screen and such device or screen is
70 mounted on or affixed to the motor vehicle's windshield, dashboard or
71 center console in a manner that does not impede the operation of the
72 motor vehicle. If such operator is driving a commercial motor vehicle,
73 [as defined in section 14-1,] such operator shall be charged with a
74 violation of subsection (e) of this section.
75    [(2) An operator of a motor vehicle who holds a hand-held mobile
76 telephone to, or in the immediate proximity of, his or her ear while
77 operating a motor vehicle is presumed to be engaging in a call within
78 the meaning of this section. The presumption established by this
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79 subdivision is rebuttable by evidence tending to show that the operator
80 was not engaged in a call.]
81    [(3)] (2) The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed as
82 authorizing the seizure or forfeiture of [a hand-held mobile telephone
83 or] a mobile electronic device, unless otherwise provided by law.
84    [(4) Subdivision] (3) The provisions of subdivision (1) of this
85 subsection shall not apply to: (A) [The use of a hand-held mobile
86 telephone] Holding or using a mobile electronic device for the sole
87 purpose of communicating with any of the following regarding an
88 emergency situation: An emergency response operator; a hospital,
89 physician's office or health clinic; an ambulance company; a fire
90 department; or a police department, [or] (B) any of the following
91 persons while in the performance of their official duties and within the
92 scope of their employment: A peace officer, as defined in subdivision (9)
93 of section 53a-3, a firefighter or an operator of an ambulance or
94 authorized emergency vehicle [, as defined in section 14-1,] or a member
95 of the armed forces of the United States, as defined in section 27-103,
96 while operating a military vehicle, or (C) [the use of] using a hand-held
97 radio by a person with an amateur radio station license issued by the
98 Federal Communications Commission in emergency situations for
99 emergency purposes only. [, or (D) the use of a hands-free mobile
100 telephone.]
101    (c) No [person shall use a hand-held mobile telephone or other
102 electronic device, including those with hands-free accessories, or a
103 mobile electronic device, while operating] school bus operator shall
104 operate a school bus that is carrying passengers [, except that this
105 subsection shall not apply when such person: (1) Places an emergency
106 call to school officials; (2)] while using a mobile electronic device,
107 including when such device is in hands-free mode, unless such school
108 bus operator: (1) Holds or uses a hand-held mobile telephone as
109 [provided in] permitted under subparagraph (A) of subdivision [(4)] (3)
110 of subsection (b) of this section; [(3)] (2) uses a [hand-held mobile
111 telephone or] mobile electronic device in a manner similar to a two-way
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112 radio to allow real-time communication with a school official, an
113 emergency response operator, a hospital, physician's office or health
114 clinic, an ambulance company, a fire department or a police department;
115 or [(4)] (3) uses a mobile electronic device with a video display, provided
116 such device (A) is used as a global positioning system or to provide
117 navigation, (B) is securely attached inside the school bus near such
118 [person] operator, and (C) has been approved for such use by the
119 Department of Motor Vehicles.
120    (d) No person under eighteen years of age shall [use any hand-held
121 mobile telephone, including one with a hands-free accessory, or]
122 operate a motor vehicle upon a highway while using a mobile electronic
123 device, [while operating a motor vehicle on a public highway] including
124 when such device is in hands-free mode, except as [provided in]
125 permitted under subparagraph (A) of subdivision [(4)] (3) of subsection
126 (b) of this section.
127    (e) No person shall [use a hand-held mobile telephone or other
128 electronic device or type, read or send text or a text message with or
129 from a mobile telephone or mobile electronic device while operating a
130 commercial motor vehicle, as defined in section 14-1, except for the
131 purpose of communicating with any of the following regarding an
132 emergency situation: An emergency response operator; a hospital;
133 physician's office or health clinic; an ambulance company; a fire
134 department or a police department] operate a commercial motor vehicle
135 in violation of the provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this
136 section, except as permitted under subparagraph (A) of subdivision (3)
137 of subsection (b) of this section.
138    (f) Except as provided in subsections (b) to (e), inclusive, of this
139 section, no person shall (1) engage in any activity not related to the
140 actual operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that interferes with the
141 safe operation of such vehicle on any highway, [as defined in section 14-
142 1] or (2) fail to maintain a proper lookout while operating a motor
143 vehicle.
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144    (g) Any law enforcement officer who issues a summons for a
145 violation of this section shall record on such summons the specific
146 nature of any distracted driving behavior observed by such officer.
147    (h) Any person who violates this section shall be fined two hundred
148 dollars for a first violation, three hundred seventy-five dollars for a
149 second violation and six hundred twenty-five dollars for a third or
150 subsequent violation.
151    (i) An operator of a motor vehicle who commits a moving violation,
152 as defined in subsection (a) of section 14-111g, while engaged in any
153 activity prohibited by this section shall be fined in accordance with
154 subsection (h) of this section, in addition to any penalty or fine imposed
155 for the moving violation.
156    (j) The state shall remit to a municipality twenty-five per cent of the
157 fine amount received for a violation of this section with respect to each
158 summons issued by such municipality. Each clerk of the Superior Court
159 or the Chief Court Administrator, or any other official of the Superior
160 Court designated by the Chief Court Administrator, shall, on or before
161 the thirtieth day of January, April, July and October in each year, certify
162 to the Comptroller the amount due for the previous quarter under this
163 subsection to each municipality served by the office of the clerk or
164 official.
165    (k) A record of any violation of this section shall appear on the
166 driving history record or motor vehicle record, as defined in section 14-
167 10, of any person who commits such violation, and the record of such
168 violation shall be available to any motor vehicle insurer in accordance
169 with the provisions of section 14-10.
170   (l) No person shall be subject to the prosecution for a violation of the
171 provisions of this section and subsection (a) of section 14-222, as
172 amended by this act, because of the same offense.
173    Sec. 2. Section 14-222 of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes
174 is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective
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175 October 1, 2026):
176    (a) (1) No person shall operate any motor vehicle upon any public
177 highway of the state, or any road of any specially chartered municipal
178 association or of any district organized under the provisions of chapter
179 105, a purpose of which is the construction and maintenance of roads
180 and sidewalks, or in any parking area for ten cars or more or upon any
181 private road on which a speed limit has been established in accordance
182 with the provisions of section 14-218a or section 14-307a or upon any
183 school property recklessly, having regard to the width, traffic and use
184 of such highway, road, school property or parking area, the intersection
185 of streets and the weather conditions. The operation of a motor vehicle
186 upon any such highway, road or parking area for ten cars or more at
187 such a rate of speed as to endanger the life of any person other than the
188 operator of such motor vehicle, or the operation, downgrade, upon any
189 highway, of any motor vehicle with a commercial registration with the
190 clutch or gears disengaged, or the operation knowingly of a motor
191 vehicle with defective mechanism, shall constitute a violation of the
192 provisions of this subsection. The operation of a motor vehicle upon any
193 such highway, road or parking area for ten cars or more at a rate of
194 speed greater than eighty-five miles per hour but not greater than one
195 hundred miles per hour shall constitute a violation of the provisions of
196 this subsection. The operation of a motor vehicle in a highway work
197 zone, as defined in section 14-212d, while engaged in any activity
198 prohibited by section 14-296aa, as amended by this act, shall constitute
199 a violation of the provisions of this section.
200    (2) Any person who violates any provision of subdivision (1) of this
201 subsection shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more
202 than three hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days or
203 be both fined and imprisoned for the first offense and for each
204 subsequent offense shall be fined not more than six hundred dollars or
205 imprisoned not more than one year or be both fined and imprisoned.
206    (b) (1) No person shall operate any motor vehicle upon any public
207 highway of the state, or any road of any specially chartered municipal
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208 association or of any district organized under the provisions of chapter
209 105, a purpose of which is the construction and maintenance of roads
210 and sidewalks, or in any parking area for ten cars or more or upon any
211 private road on which a speed limit has been established in accordance
212 with the provisions of section 14-218a or 14-307a or upon any school
213 property at a rate of speed greater than one hundred miles per hour.
214    (2) Any person who violates subdivision (1) of this subsection shall
215 be fined not less than two hundred dollars nor more than six hundred
216 dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days or be both fined and
217 imprisoned for the first offense and for each subsequent offense shall be
218 fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than
219 one year or be both fined and imprisoned.
220    (3) Any police officer who arrests a person for a violation of
221 subdivision (1) of this subsection, who has previously been convicted of
222 a violation of subdivision (1) of this subsection, shall cause the motor
223 vehicle such person was operating at the time of the current offense to
224 be impounded for a period of forty-eight hours after such arrest. The
225 owner of such motor vehicle may reclaim such motor vehicle after the
226 expiration of such forty-eight-hour period upon payment of all towing
227 and storage costs.
228    (c) No person shall be subject to prosecution because of the same
229 offense for a violation of both (1) subsection (a) or (b) of this section, and
230 (2) subsection (a) of section 14-219.
231   Sec. 3. Subdivision (3) of subsection (e) of section 14-36 of the 2026
232 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is
233 substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026):
234   (3) Before granting a license to any applicant who has not previously
235 held a Connecticut motor vehicle operator's license, or whose
236 Connecticut motor vehicle operator's license expired more than two
237 years prior to the application date, the commissioner shall require the
238 applicant to demonstrate personally to the commissioner, a deputy, a
239 motor vehicle inspector or an agent of the commissioner, in such manner
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240 as the commissioner directs, that the applicant is a proper person to
241 operate motor vehicles of the class for which such applicant has applied,
242 has sufficient knowledge of the mechanism of the motor vehicles to
243 ensure their safe operation by him or her and has satisfactory
244 knowledge of the laws concerning motor vehicles and the rules of the
245 road. The knowledge test of an applicant for a class D motor vehicle
246 operator's license shall include a question concerning highway work
247 zone safety and the responsibilities of an operator of a motor vehicle
248 under section 14-212d. Each such knowledge test shall include not less
249 than one question concerning distracted driving, the use of mobile
250 [telephones and] electronic devices by motor vehicle operators or the
251 responsibilities of motor vehicle operators under section 14-296aa, as
252 amended by this act. If any such applicant has held a license from a state,
253 territory or possession of the United States where a similar examination
254 is required, the commissioner may waive part or all of the examination.
255 If any such applicant is (A) a veteran who applies not later than two
256 years after the date of discharge from the military and who, prior to such
257 discharge, held a military operator's license for motor vehicles of the
258 same class as that for which such applicant has applied, or (B) a member
259 of the armed forces or the National Guard who currently holds a
260 military operator's license for motor vehicles of the same class as that for
261 which such applicant has applied, the commissioner shall waive all of
262 the examination, except in the case of a commercial motor vehicle
263 license, the commissioner shall waive the driving skills test for such
264 applicant and may, in such commissioner's discretion, waive the
265 knowledge test for such application, provided such applicant meets the
266 conditions set forth in 49 CFR 383.77, as amended from time to time. For
267 the purposes of this subsection, "veteran" and "armed forces" have the
268 same meanings as provided in section 27-103. When the commissioner
269 is satisfied as to the ability and competency of any applicant, the
270 commissioner may issue to such applicant a license, either unlimited or
271 containing such limitations as the commissioner deems advisable, and
272 specifying the class of motor vehicles which the licensee is eligible to
273 operate.
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274    Sec. 4. Subdivision (88) of section 14-1 of the 2026 supplement to the
275 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
276 thereof (Effective October 1, 2026):
277    (88) "Serious traffic violation" means a conviction of any of the
278 following offenses: (A) Excessive speeding, involving a single offense in
279 which the speed is fifteen miles per hour or more above the posted
280 speed limit, in violation of section 14-218a or 14-219; (B) reckless driving
281 in violation of section 14-222, as amended by this act; (C) following too
282 closely in violation of section 14-240 or 14-240a; (D) improper or erratic
283 lane changes, in violation of section 14-236; (E) using a [hand-held
284 mobile telephone or other electronic device or typing, reading or
285 sending text or a text message with or from a mobile telephone or]
286 mobile electronic device in violation of subsection (e) of section 14-
287 296aa, as amended by this act, while operating a commercial motor
288 vehicle; (F) driving a commercial motor vehicle without a valid
289 commercial driver's license in violation of section 14-36a or 14-44a; (G)
290 failure to carry a commercial driver's license in violation of section 14-
291 44a; (H) failure to have the proper class of license or endorsement, or
292 violation of a license restriction in violation of section 14-44a; or (I) a
293 violation of any provision of chapter 248, by an operator who holds a
294 commercial driver's license or learner's permit that results in the death
295 of another person;
296   Sec. 5. Subdivision (15) of subsection (a) of section 42-110x of the 2026
297 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is
298 substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026):
299     (15) "Video game console" (A) means any computing device,
300 including, but not limited to, any console machine, handheld console
301 device or similar device or system, that is primarily used by consumers
302 to play video games, (B) includes, but is not limited to, the components
303 and peripherals of any computing device described in subparagraph (A)
304 of this subdivision, and (C) does not include any (i) general or all-
305 purpose computing device, (ii) desktop, laptop or tablet computer, or
306 (iii) [hand-held] mobile telephone. [, as defined in section 14-296aa.]
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This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1      October 1, 2026  14-296aa
Sec. 2  October 1, 2026  14-222
Sec. 3  October 1, 2026  14-36(e)(3)
Sec. 4  October 1, 2026  14-1(88)
Sec. 5  October 1, 2026  42-110x(a)(15)
TRA  Joint Favorable
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