Texting while driving; provide that violation shall be considered a nonmoving violation with fine not to exceed $50.00.

HB 1276 reclassifies texting while driving as a nonmoving traffic violation in Mississippi, punishable by a maximum fine of $50 plus a $10 court fee. It directly affects drivers who use hand-held devices to write, send, or read text messages while operating a vehicle, excluding law enforcement, emergency personnel, and hands-free device use. The bill prohibits adding points to a driver's license for this violation and requires law enforcement to record the driver's age, race, and whether a crash occurred when issuing a citation. It takes effect July 1, 2025.