Governor Jerry Brown approved several new laws Friday. They included a hands-free exception to the ban on texting while driving and a ban on sex between police officers and prisoners or detainees. He also increased the fines for staging and watching bear and rooster fights.

California is now the second state to have legalized hands-free texting while driving. Assemblyman Jeff Miller, who introduced the bill, said,

“I can relate to the frustration of many Californians who were unable to communicate with friends, family and business partners while driving because it is currently against the law to operate text-based functions while driving…[the bill] will allow Californians to communicate safely and responsibly while on the road.”

See the list of bills here.

 

Reach Executive Producer Cara Palmer here; follow her here.