Motorists will soon be prohibited from holding and operating a handheld wireless telephone or electronic communications devices while driving, unless it mounted on the vehicle’s windshield, or affixed to a dashboard or center console in a way that does not hinder the individual’s view of the road, according to the release.

Under Assembly Bill 1785, a motorist can only use his or her hand to activate or deactivate a feature or function on the device that requires a single swipe or tap. The law does not apply to systems that are installed by manufacturers and embedded in the vehicle.

The legislation marks a change from the existing policy, which states any person operating a motor vehicle cannot use a wireless electronic device to write, send or read a text-based communication, except through voice-operated and hands-free features.