"I text message a lot while I drive," the 18-year-old told members of the House Transportation Committee Tuesday.

Probably not the best object lesson for responsible teen driving. Committee members ended up signing off on a bill blocking teens from using cell phones while driving.

Those ticketed could be charged with an infraction and pay up to $750 in fines.

"This is a safety issue," said sponsoring Rep. Kory Holdaway, R-Taylorsville. Holdaway's bill would provide exceptions for emergencies, including reporting safety hazards or criminal activity.

The bill is supported by AAA, the Utah Highway Patrol and insurance companies.

"I don't know how you can keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road and still text message," said Gary Thorup, from Property and Casualty Insurers Association of America.

But some representatives hesitated to support the bill, worrying their cell phones would be next.

"Is this the first step in taking away an adult driver's ability to have a cell phone in the car?" asked Rep. Chris Herrod, R-Provo. Herrod acknowledged frequently talking on his cell phone while driving for business.

The bill was amended to make talking on a cell phone a so-called "secondary" offense, which means officers could only pull over a teen driver who had broken another traffic law.