A bill to ban handheld phones while driving is moving forward in the Iowa Legislature after passing a subcommittee meeting on Wednesday. Why it matters: While the legislation has struggled to pass over the last few years,

Iowa Republican lawmakers say this could be the year they finally ban motorists' handheld use of cellphones behind the wheel.

Iowa could soon join 30 other states that have a hands-free driving law. The issue has come up for years in the session, but a bill has never been sent to the Governor’s desk. Iowa law currently bans drivers from texting when they’re behind the wheel.

A bill to make it illegal to be handling or scrolling on a cell phone while driving has cleared a Senate subcommittee and two women from Mount Pleasant were at the subcommittee’s hearing to urge lawmakers to act.