New Jersey

Quick Stats:
State Name: New Jersey
State Handheld Ban: Yes
Text-Message Ban: Yes
School Bus Driver Ban: Yes
Novice Driver Ban: Under 21
Enforcement Type: Primary

New Jersey was the second state in the USA to pass the "hands-free" law, after New York. The law, introduced July 2007, originally was a secondary offense meaning that a motorist could only be cited for the offense if he or she had been stopped by a police officer for another moving violation. The original offense also carried a hefty $250 price tag along with it. Recent updates (Nov 2007) have reduced the fine amount to $100 and changed the enforcement to primary, meaning a cop can pull you over only for this offense.