MADISON, Wis. -- Gov. Jim Doyle has signed into law a ban on texting while driving in Wisconsin.

The ban Doyle signed on Wednesday takes effect in December. Wisconsin is the 25th state to enact a ban on sending text messages and e-mails while driving.

"It is obviously a situation in which the technology moved beyond the laws of the state and this is a law that has us catch up with technology," said Doyle.

Under the new law, anyone caught sending an e-mail or a text message while driving could be fined anywhere between $20 and $400. That is the same penalty as inattentive driving.

Safety advocates pushed for the new law as a way to cut down on drivers getting distracted while checking their phones for e-mails or typing out messages on the tiny keyboards while trying to navigate traffic.

Opponents questioned how the ban could effectively be enforced.

Area law enforcement was part of a push for a ban on texting, and they said they'll look to pull over anyone they see texting while driving.

"It's going to be very enforceable. We've had inattentive driving on the books for years, and with the advent of more texting, especially with young drivers, and the advent of increased technology, we now have all generations utilizing texting," said Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney.

But even those who patrol the roads said it could be difficult to make a stop.

"It's going to have to be in plain view. I mean if someone is holding the phone in their lap or something like that, we aren't going to be able to see it unless we're right next to them," said Sgt. Dave Lambrecht, with the Dane County Sheriff's Department.

But authorities said they hope education on the law and the dangers of texting will be enough to discourage people from texting while driving.

"To me that's just like reading a book while you're driving or reading the newspaper, and common sense would tell you it's not appropriate and not safe, and now there's a law to back that up," said Lambrecht.

Composing or sending a text message while operating a vehicle will be illegal, although reading a message, browsing the Web or dialing one's phone is not. But if drivers are clearly distracted while doing those things in their cars, they could be cited for inattentive driving.