Texting and driving has been a long debated issue for some time now but has finally been deemed illegal in Tennessee. The 106^th General Assembly passed a law back in January that prohibits reading or sending text messages while driving, taking effect today, July 1, 2009.

One of the main problems this new law poses is the possibility of law enforcement confusing a driver typing out a text message with a driver dialing a phone number. The Attorney General of Tennessee, Bob Cooper, said that it won’t matter either way. He said that pulling someone over “whenever unsafe operation is caused by cell phone use, text messaging, applying cosmetics or any other activity that prevents the driver from operating the vehicle in a safe manner,” already exists. Therefore, if you violate a rule of the road while texting or dialing, the outcome will be the same either way.

However, there are still no restrictions on using a cell phone to call someone while driving so law enforcement officials will have to try their best at distinguishing between the two in the absence of any unsafe vehicle operations.

Safety Department spokesman Mike Browning said to The Tennessean Newspaper, “Motorists should be aware that texting while driving is a dangerous behavior that can result in an injury, crash, or even death to the driver or other motorists.”

Other laws that will take effect starting today include a law allowing school districts to sell advertisements on school buses, a law allowing wine to be delivered to a customer’s home, a law that requires increased energy efficiency in state buildings and vehicles, as well as seven others.