It's still illegal to pull out your phone and start typing.  But texting is now allowed if you use hands-free technology, such as apple's voice-activated Siri, or an in-dash system.  Former Republican Assemblyman Jeff Miller says he wrote the bill to keep up with industry advancements:

Miller: "The cars that were coming out had this new technology that would be illegal to use unless the law got tweaked."

Officer Adrian Quintero with the California Highway Patrol says the change in the law is very specific:

Quintero: "If you're driving with the phone in your hand and you're operating with the phone in your hand, it is a violation of the section, so it has to be hands-free, is basically what we're getting at."