A group of aldermen led by Ed Burke want legislation in place to mandate cell phones sold in Chicago come equipped with a way for parents to disable texting features for their teenagers.
The proposal aims to prevent accidents caused by teens who text while they drive.
Ald. Burke (14th Ward) proposed the law Wednesday, "requiring all cell phones sold in the City to offer a special feature allowing parents to block their teenaged children from texting while driving."
The alderman calls it a "tough new measure" and says it would be put into effect for all "mobile communication devices" purchased after Jan. 1, 2012. Those who sell phone without the blocking feature would face fines up to $1,000.
Fellow aldermen Anthony Beale (9th), Michelle Harris (4th), Richard Mell (33rd) and Ray Suarez (31st) support the proposal.
The proposal heads to a City Council committee for consideration.
