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Teens in Tennessee can lose their sweet 16 driving privileges if found guilty of bullying other children, per a new law in the state. The law, which took effect on July 1, will allow courts to revoke driver’s licenses for up to a year for teenagers caught bullying or cyberbullying other kids.
The measure, sponsored by Tennessee State Rep. Lowell Russell, R., was passed with significant bipartisan support. The bill received praise from supporters as a step in the right direction to combat bullying among teens.
“Bullying can cause long-term harm that results in mental health problems later in a person’s life. Most acts of violence and suicides are noted as the result of being bullied. I simply got tired of nothing being done to stop bullying,” Russell had told CNN in a statement.
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Russell also said that he hoped for this new bill to gain the attention of bullies and deter them from being “mean to others” in the future.
The driving restrictions will be enforced by the court notifying the Tennessee Department of Safety to prevent a driver’s license being issued to anyone found guilty of bullying in a court of law. Additionally, if they are caught driving on a suspended license, the teenagers will be at risk of additional penalties.
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Despite the new restrictions, the law does allow for some flexibility for first-time offenders. If revoked, teens can apply for a restricted license that allows them to still commute to essential activities such as school or work. However, the restricted license does not include driving to after-school extracurricular activities or social events.
In order for teens to secure these driving privileges, they must apply for them within 10 days of the court decision and pay a $20 application fee.
This new law is a continuation of the effort by Tennessee lawmakers to combat the issues of bullying and suicides among young people. The new penalties will only be applicable to bullying incidents that occur after the July 1st.
“I would like to see, going forward, movement towards working with the bullies,” said Scott Payne, a manager for Contact Care Line, a Knoxville-based social services organization.
“Bullies aren’t just born. They don’t just pop up. They’re products of their environment. So we need to be talking with them and finding out what’s going on in their lives that’s bringing about this type of behavior from them,” Payne told WVLT.
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