Passed during the 2010 Legislative Session,  Senate Bill 321, The Delegate John Arnick Electronic Communication Traffic Safety Act of 2010,  established a ban on the use of  hand-held telephones while operating a motor vehicle.  The law, which goes into effect Friday, October 1st, denotes that talking on a cell phone while driving is a secondary offense. This means that a driver cannot be pulled over solely for being on their phone, rather they have to first be in violation of another law.  A first offense is punishable by a fine of $40 and a $100 fine for any subsequent citations.  Maryland is joining the ranks of six other states, Washington D.C. , and the U.S. Virgin Islands to initiate such legislation.  To read how Marylander’s are reacting to the new law click here to read Liz Skalski’s article in The Gazette .