Be careful: if one’s caught talking on a cell phone while driving near school, they could be issued a ticket.

Earlier this year, the State Senate introduced a new law banning the use of electric communication devices while driving through school and construction zones.

The General Assembly’s website labels an “electric communication device” as “an electronic device, including but not limited to a wireless telephone, personal digital assistant or a portable mobile computer while being used for the purpose of composing, reading or sending an electronic message, but does not include a global positioning system or navigation system or a device that is physically or electronically integrated into the motor vehicle.”

In other words, GPS’s, radios and other devices connected to the car are fine, but telephones or iPods are illegal in the area of a school.

“That makes perfect sense. Kids shouldn’t use their phones. That’s dumb,” junior Corey Clausen said.

Officer Paul Warren said that he interpreted the law as applying to “within 1,000 feet of a school.”

According to Warren, this is the first state law limiting adults’ cell phone use. The city of Chicago has an ordinance saying the same thing, but this law is the first state law.

The law does specify, however, that certain groups are exempt from the law: “A person using a wireless telephone for emergency purposes, including but not limited to, law enforcement agency, health care provider, fire department, or other emergency services agency or entity, [also exempt are] a law enforcement officer or operator of an emergency vehicle when performing the officer’s or operator’s official duties, or to a person using a wireless telephone in voice-activated mode.”

The law officially went into affect at the beginning of this year, but recently Warren sent an e-mail to teachers and administration reminding them of the law and telling them to be cautious.