Tennessee Law Revokes Licenses of Teen Bullies

The law allows courts to revoke a minor's license for as long as one year if they are convicted of those offences. The court can further prevent a teen with a bullying conviction from obtaining a driver's license.

Pushing Back Against Inaction
The measure was sponsored as a bill by Lowell Russel, who highlighted the dangerous effects of bullying. "Bullying is one of those things that can be harmful and have mental health outcomes. The majority of violent crimes and suicides occur due to bullying. I was just tired of nothing being done about it being stopped,″ Russel said. If teens are caught driving with a suspended license, there are more penalties, once again giving the teens notice that they are getting older and the rules are going to be stricter.

Restricted Licenses Still an Option
But there is a road to some level of driving privilege. Abusers can seek a limited license that permits them to drive to a specific destination such as school, work or church. This is an exception that a judge must approve.

With this new statute, Tennessee hopes to discourage bullying through repercussions that resonate in the daily lives of teenagers, delivering a strong statement about accountability and individual culpability.