California, Washington Cell Phone Laws Take Effect

Laws prohibiting hand-held cell phones take effect Tuesday in California and Washington state, the Associated Press reported.

In California, anyone driving while holding a cell phone to their ear will be subject to base fines of $20 for the first ticket and $50 for subsequent tickets, plus fees that will more than triple the fine, AP said.

There is no grace period for violators and there are also restrictions on drivers under 18, AP reported.

In Washington, violators can face $124 tickets for driving while holding a phone. Violations are a secondary offense, which means drivers will be cited if police pull them over for another offense, AP said.

Both states allow hands-free devices and California allows use of hand-held phones in emergencies, AP said.