Texting Ban Derailed In Oklahoma House

A proposal to ban texting while driving in Oklahoma has been derailed in a Republican-controlled House committee amid concerns it jeopardizes personal freedoms and would be difficult to enforce.

One day after supporters of the ban rallied at the Capitol, the House Calendar Committee on Thursday tabled the bill by Smithville Democratic Representative Curtis McDaniel.

McDaniel says the bill still could be brought to the floor for a vote and he’s urging supporters to lobby members of the committee to let it out, saying "We’re dealing with people’s lives here."

House Speaker T.W. Shannon said Thursday he’s among the opponents of the proposal because he’s concerned about how such a ban would be enforced and that distracted driving already is illegal in Oklahoma.