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Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
US teens caught bullying could lose driving licence under new law
Teenagers in the US state of Tennessee who are found guilty of bullying could have their driving licence revoked for a year under a new law. Lowell Russell, a Republican who sponsored the legislation in the Tennessee House of Representatives, said he got the idea from a parent whose son was being bullied but had not received support from his school. Mr Russell said he had also been affected by news reports recounting stories of bullying victims who had taken their own lives or committed violence on others. 'My hope is it will save lives and prevent people from getting hurt because when they're bullied in the k-to-12 [kindergarten to 12th] grades, that has long-term mental health effects,' he told The New York Times. The law allows judges to suspend the licence of anyone under 18 for one year if they are found to have committed bullying or cyberbullying. Some teenagers could be given restricted licences, allowing them to drive only to school, work and religious services. Supporters of the law hope it will deter young people from bullying. But critics question whether it will have a direct impact on children's behaviour. Susan Swearer, a director of the Bullying Research Network, said psychological interventions tended to be more effective than punishment. 'Certainly what we know from adolescent development is adolescents don't necessarily connect long-term consequences with their behaviour in the moment,' she said. Bill Lee, the governor of Tennessee, signed the Bill into law in April, expanding on an already existing measure that defined bullying and cyberbullying as distinct offences. Adam Lowe, a Republican, said the threat of suspending licences 'puts some teeth' to the previous law.
CNN
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
New Tennessee law strips teens of driving privileges if they are found guilty of bullying
A new Tennessee law aims to combat bullying by targeting teenagers where it may hurt the most: revoking their ability to drive. The legislation, which took effect Tuesday, allows courts to suspend for up to a year the driver's licenses of minors found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying. '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,' State Rep. Lowell Russell, who sponsored the bill, told CNN in a statement. The measure, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, has been hailed by supporters as a step to address a pervasive problem. Russell explained the driving restrictions will be enforced in two ways. The court will notify the Tennessee Department of Safety to prevent a driver's license from being issued to anyone found guilty of bullying in a court of law. Or 'if they are caught driving on a suspended license, they will receive additional penalties,' he said. The law allows some flexibility for first-time offenders. Teens who lose their licenses may apply for a restricted one, allowing them to drive to everyday destinations such as school, work or church. However, the process involves several steps: teens must apply within 10 days of the court's decision, pay a $20 application fee, meet age requirements, and pass necessary driving tests. They must then obtain judicial approval, which will specify exactly when and where they are permitted to drive. 'I think it's great that the state is stepping up to try to do something about bullying,' Scott Payne, a manager for Contact Care Line, a Knoxville-based social services organization, told CNN affiliate WVLT. Still, Payne urged the need to consider measures that go beyond penalties. 'I would like to see, going forward, movement towards working with the bullies,' he said. '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.' The new legislation builds on Tennessee's previous efforts to combat bullying. In 2024, lawmakers clarified the state's definitions of bullying and cyberbullying, aiming to prevent the violence and suicides often linked to these behaviors. 'I certainly hope it's a move that helps people seek help,' Payne said. 'Seeking help is a strength, not a weakness.'
Auto Blog
3 days ago
- Politics
- Auto Blog
Tennessee Law Punches Back at Bullies by Pulling Their Drivers' Licenses
View post: Walmart is selling a 'wonderful' $172 5-drawer toolbox for $89, and shoppers say it's 'sturdy and easy to carry' Bullies Beware Bullies in Tennessee might now need to think twice, at least if they're of driving age, thanks to a new law that went into effect this week. 0:09 / 0:09 2025 Ford Explorer vs 2025 Chevrolet Traverse: Which is America's best family hauler? Watch More Under the new measure, those found guilty of bullying in juvenile court will, if old enough, automatically lose their driver's license for a full year – an eternity at that age. 'Most acts of violence or suicides are results of being bullied,' State Representative Lowell Russell wrote on Facebook. 'I sponsored this bill in hopes to prevent children from being bullied and in hopes to prevent tragic events.' An All Too Common Problem To some, being bullied is a right of passage. But it has been linked to mental health issues – and even led to suicides — among the estimated one-third of American school children who've been bullied about various times, according to a report on . The situation has been worsened by digital technologies, including cellphones and AI software capable of creating deepfake pictures and videos. A 2022 Pew Research study on cyberbullying indicating that 'nearly half of U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online, with physical appearance being seen as a relatively common reason why.' Beating Back the Bullies If bullying is an unwanted rite of passage for some, getting a driver's license is something almost all teens long for. And that's where the new Tennessee law is fighting back. Tennessee lawmakers a year ago laid out a legal definition of what constitutes bullying. Now, they've given that definition teeth. Anyone convicted in juvenile court of a bullying offense occurring on or after July 1, 2025 will have their driver's license suspended for a full year. If it's a first offense, a bully can apply to get a restricted license – but it can only be used to school, work or religious services. Forget social events. And if you're in an after-school program, including sports? Forget it. Catch the bus or get a ride with your parents or friends. Will it Work? 'Taking away driving privileges will hopefully get the attention of bullies and deter them from being mean to others,' said State Rep. Russell. Not everyone is convinced, however. It may only help with those bullies who are caught and prosecuted. And it doesn't deal with bullies too young to drive, some skeptics warned. It's going to take intervention long before that, suggested Scott Payne, a manager for Contact Care Line, a Knoxville-based social services organization, in an interview with Knoxville TV station WVLT. '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.' Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. About the Author Paul Eisenstein View Profile
Fox News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
New Tennessee law will suspend driver's license of teens found guilty of bullying
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. 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. 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.
New York Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Teens Guilty of Bullying Could Lose Drivers' Licenses Under Tennessee Law
Teenagers in Tennessee who are found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying could have their drivers' licenses suspended for a year under a new state law that went into effect on Tuesday. Supporters hope the law will deter young people from bullying by letting them know they could lose a coveted privilege. But critics questioned whether it would actually make teenagers think twice about their behavior. 'Certainly what we know from adolescent development is adolescents don't necessarily connect long-term consequences with their behavior in the moment,' said Susan M. Swearer, chairwoman of the department of educational psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a director of the Bullying Research Network. Research shows psychological interventions are more effective than punishment at stopping bullying, she said. State Representative Lowell Russell, a Republican who sponsored the legislation in the Tenneseee House, said he got the idea from a constituent whose son was being bullied in school and who felt the school was not taking action to stop it. Mr. Russell said he was also disturbed by news reports of bullying victims growing up to commit acts of violence or dying by suicide. 'My hope is it will save lives and prevent people from getting hurt because when they're bullied in the K-to-12 grades, that has long-term mental health effects,' Mr. Russell said. Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed the bill into law in April after the Tennessee House passed it by a vote of 85 to 10 and the State Senate by a vote of 26 to 0. It expands on a measure that Tenneseee lawmakers passed last year that defined bullying and cyberbullying as distinct offenses under the state's laws against harassment. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
