The Pennsylvania Senate voted to expand a ban on texting while driving Thursday. 

Senate Bill 37 would increase penalties for drivers who have a cell phone in their hand while driving. This includes while sitting in traffic or at a stoplight.

The bill does allow people to push a single button to start or end a phone call on a phone that is within easy reach and to use it for navigation or listening to music. The bill includes exceptions for emergency responders and for people calling 911.

In May, President and CEO Rebecca Oyler wrote a letter to Senate leaders in support of the bill. In it, she writes: 

"The trucking industry has long been subject to a mobile device ban, and we have seen the positive impact that reducing distractions can have, so we believe that extending similar bans to all drivers – or at the very least, encouraging all drivers to practice personal responsibility can improve safety."

First-time offenders will receive a $150 fine. 

If the offender is convicted of homicide by vehicle, Senate Bill 37 would give the court the ability to sentence up to five years. If the offender is convicted of aggravated assault by vehicle, the bill gives the court the ability to sentence up to two years.

If passed by the House, drivers will have a grace period of a year in which they only receive a written warning for violation.

Senate Bill 37 will require driving tests to ask a question about the effects of distracted driving and student driving manuals to include a section on distracted driving and the penalties.

The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 37-11. It now goes to the state House of Representatives for consideration.