Sitting behind pictures of loved ones killed in crashes, 15 Texas families tearfully pleaded with lawmakers to support a statewide texting-while-driving ban.
The scene at the Texas Capitol supported a measure filed for the fourth consecutive session by Democratic Sen. Judith Zaffirini. It would prohibit motorists from using a wireless device to read, write or send a text message while driving unless the vehicle is stopped.
Jennifer Zamora-Jamison of North Texas was among those who spoke Tuesday.
She said her husband survived a combat tour in Iraq only to come home and be killed by a distracted driver who took her eyes off the road.
Zamora-Jamison's daughter, Maxine, was also in the car and she survived the crash.
Both then started going to Austin to fight for stricter laws, but this past October, Maxine took her own life.
“In going through her belongings, I found her journal of her grief over that loss and how she could never recover from that,” Zamora-Jamison said.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
The Texas Department of Transportation says 459 people died in 2013 crashes in which a driver was distracted, either by a cell phone or something else.
Since 2009, similar legislation has failed to become law. One passed both chambers in 2011 but was vetoed by former Gov. Rick Perry.
New Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday "it's premature" to say whether he'll veto a ban.
NBC 5's Julie Fine contributed to this report.
