---
type: "Bill"
title: "Vehicles: electronic wireless communications device: prohibitions."
description: "Existing law prohibits a person from using a wireless telephone while driving unless the telephone is specifically designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and is used in that manner while driving. Existing law also prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle while using an electronic wireless communications device to write, send, or read a text-based communication, unless the electronic wireless communications device is specifically designed and configured to allow voice-operated and hands-free operation, as specified. Under existing law, a person who is under 18 years of age is prohibited from using a wireless telephone, even if equipped with a hands-free device, or using a mobile service device, as defined, while driving. A violation of these provisions is an infraction."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ca"
legislature: "California Legislature"
session: "20132014"
identifier: "SB 194"
citation: "California SB 194 (20132014)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Vehicles: electronic wireless communications device: prohibitions."]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Galgiani"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 19
vote_count: 5
first_action: "2013-02-07"
last_action: "2013-10-11"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/66605d3d-60df-4daa-bad0-808c3c7dc381"
source_url: "http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB194"
source_hash: "5c769679de9f56bbdab3fa28fbb2a47d1b5eb4212f82deb1ef7191192f9f353b"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-ca"]
---

# California SB 194 (20132014) — Vehicles: electronic wireless communications device: prohibitions.

Existing law prohibits a person from using a wireless telephone while driving unless the telephone is specifically designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and is used in that manner while driving. Existing law also prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle while using an electronic wireless communications device to write, send, or read a text-based communication, unless the electronic wireless communications device is specifically designed and configured to allow voice-operated and hands-free operation, as specified. Under existing law, a person who is under 18 years of age is prohibited from using a wireless telephone, even if equipped with a hands-free device, or using a mobile service device, as defined, while driving. A violation of these provisions is an infraction.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **02/07/13 - Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB194&version=20130SB19499INT)
2. **10/11/13 - Chaptered** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB194&version=20130SB19497CHP)
3. **SB194** (committee substitute) — [source](http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB194)
4. **09/04/13 - Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB194&version=20130SB19498ENR)

## Votes

- Do pass. — **16–1** (pass) · lower
- 3rd Reading — **35–3** (pass) · upper
- Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Appropriations. — **15–0** (pass) · lower
- SB 194 Galgiani Senate Third Reading By FRAZIER — **70–4** (pass) · lower
- Do pass, but re-refer to the Committee on Appropriations. — **11–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Galgiani — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2013-02-07** Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print. `reading-1, introduction`
- **2013-02-08** From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 10.
- **2013-02-21** Referred to Com. on T. & H. `referral-committee`
- **2013-03-06** Set for hearing April 2.
- **2013-04-02** From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 391.) (April 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. `committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee, committee-passage`
- **2013-04-05** Set for hearing April 15.
- **2013-04-15** From committee: Be placed on second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8. `committee-passage`
- **2013-04-16** Read second time. Ordered to third reading. `reading-2, reading-1`
- **2013-04-22** Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 35. Noes 3. Page 607.) Ordered to the Assembly. `reading-3, reading-1, passage`
- **2013-04-22** In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. `reading-1`
- **2013-05-09** Referred to Com. on TRANS. `referral-committee`
- **2013-06-18** From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. `committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee, committee-passage`
- **2013-07-03** From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 16. Noes 1.) (July 3). `committee-passage-favorable, committee-passage`
- **2013-08-05** Read second time. Ordered to third reading. `reading-2, reading-1`
- **2013-09-03** Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 70. Noes 4. Page 2828.) Ordered to the Senate. `reading-3, reading-1, passage`
- **2013-09-03** In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
- **2013-09-06** Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.
- **2013-10-11** Approved by the Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2013-10-11** Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 754, Statutes of 2013.

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/66605d3d-60df-4daa-bad0-808c3c7dc381`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official California legislature records).