State Senator Andrea Stillman
March 7, 2005
Stillman Promotes Bill to Prohibit, Penalize Gas Station Cell Phone Use
State Senator Andrea L. Stillman (D-Waterford), Senate chair of the legislature's Environment Committee, testified today before its Judiciary Committee on behalf of a bill she wrote to prohibit cell phone use while refueling one's car. Senate Bill 510, An Act Prohibiting the Use of a Cellular Telephone While Pumping Gasoline, would provide for a penalty for those found guilty of non-compliance.
"I know when we pump gas at a station there is a notice attached to the pump or a pole near the pump that lists in writing and illustration of what one should not do while pumping gas," Senator Stillman testified. "These restrictions are recommended because they place people in danger. It is a known, documented fact that using a cell phone in proximity of the gas pump can cause an electrical charge that can cause a fire that can ignite the pump."
According to the language of the bill itself, the stated purpose of the legislation is simply, "To make it illegal to use a cellular telephone while pumping gasoline." Senator Stillman intimated the specific amount of the fine was negotiable, but insisted that gas station patrons are at risk if someone places a call or takes a call in the presence of gasoline fumes.
"People just do not pay attention to the notices that are displayed for their protection and of course we sometimes believe that these dangerous events cannot possibly happen," Senator Stillman continued. "This is a public safety issue and one that needs to be addressed. I am requesting that you act favorably on the bill and enact a penalty for what is a very dangerous situation."
Senator Stillman is serving her first term in the state Senate following six terms in the state House of Representatives. In addition to her responsibility for the Environment Committee, she is a member of the Public Health, General Law, and Regulations Review Committees.
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