San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom wants to push the off button on the trend of text messaging during meetings of the Board of Supervisors and various city commissions.
The tech-savvy mayor, himself an avid texter on his beloved iPhone, has asked the city attorney’s office to draft legislation curbing electronic communication during public meetings for fear of city officials being unfairly influenced by lobbyists’ texts.
… Ideas being discussed include banning text messages from lobbyists during meetings, though it would be virtually impossible to enforce; prohibiting the use of all cell phones during meetings, while acknowledging receiving messages from family members and staff may be crucial; and even banning the use of laptops, which allow for instant messaging and e-mails during meetings.
… Several states’ legislatures have restrictions on electronic communication during meetings, ranging from self-policed no-texting rules to making inoperable any device used to transmit data, including cell phones and computers…
All trends start in California.