May 5, 2008
House Bill 2078: Drivers Licensing Requirements
Author:
Rep. Rodney R. Hubbard
Summary:
This bill prohibits the issuance of a driver’s license or temporary permit to any person 15 to 18 years of age if a school submits information that the student is not in compliance with the eligibility standards. This bill also would mandate that “a student enrolled in public school who withdraws from public school and was not in compliance with the department standards for eligibility
at the time of such withdrawal shall remain subject to the requirements of this section until such student demonstrates department standards have been achieved.”
This bill would require DESE to enact standards for homeschool students who did not meet department standards while they were in public school. This would hamper students who are seeking a fresh start by leaving public school to homeschool.
Status:
| 2/11/2008 |  | H 216 Introduced and Read First Time (H) |
| 2/12/2008 |  | H 223 Read Second Time (H) |
| 2/14/2008 |  | H 247 Referred: Special Committee on Urban Education Reform (H) |
| 2/26/2008 |  | Public Hearing Completed (H) |
| 4/1/2008 |  | Executive Session Completed (H) |
| 4/1/2008 |  | Voted Do Pass (H) |
| 4/2/2008 |  | H 751 Reported Do Pass (H) |
| 4/2/2008 |  | H 751 Referred: Rules Pursuant to Rule 25(21)(f) (H) |
| 4/9/2008 |  | Rules—Executive Session Completed (H) |
| 4/9/2008 |  | Rules—Voted Do Pass (H) |
| 4/9/2008 |  | H 861 Rules - Reported Do Pass (H) |
| 4/23/2008 |  | H 1115-1116 Perfected (H) |
| 4/24/2008 |  | Third Read and Passed (H) |
| 4/28/2008 |  | Reported to the Senate and First Read (S) |
| 4/29/2008 |  | Second Read/Referred: Education (S) |
HSLDA's Position:
Oppose!
Action Requested:
Call as many members as possible of the Senate Education Committee
(below). If your own senator is on the committee, be sure to call him
or her. Use our Legislative Toolbox to find your senator. Your message can be as simple as:
“Please vote no on H.B. 2078. Driver’s license laws should not be distorted to serve social agendas such as enforcing school attendance.
They should focus exclusively on their true purpose: driver safety.
Parents already have the authority to prevent a youngster from getting
a permit or license if they believe it would not be best. Keep the
parents in the driver’s seat. Schools should focus on the root causes
of truancy, not the symptoms.”
It is not necessary to identify yourself as a homeschooler since this
bill undermines parents regardless of how they educate their children.
Contact Information
Rob Mayer, Chair
(573) 751-3859
Norma Champion, Vice Chair
(573) 751-2583
Charlie Shields
(573) 751-9476
Frank Barnitz
(573) 751-2108
Maida Coleman
(573) 751-2606
Rita Days
(573) 751-4106
Chuck Graham
(573) 751-2162
Yvonne Wilson
(573) 751-9758
John Loudon
(573) 751-9763
Gary Nodler
(573) 751-2306
Scott Rupp
(573) 751-1282
Background:
Rather than dealing with the root causes of truancy, lawmakers in many
states have tried to threaten young adults with losing or delaying
their opportunity to learn to become safe drivers. This is
wrongheaded and harmful. Learning to drive safely is an important
aspect of becoming an adult and should not be delayed by bureaucratic
disapproval of a student’s attendance issues.
You may be told that these requirements only apply to public school
students. However, the bill has been drafted ambiguously, and it is
easily foreseeable that it could apply to students who have never been
in public schools.
At the very least, a student who is falling short at the time he
withdraws from public school in order to be homeschooled will have to
submit to whatever demands the Department imposes. This creates a
completely unacceptable avenue for intrusion into homeschool families.
The freedom of parents to educate their student as they know best will
be dramatically undermined.
Under current law, students under 18 can obtain a permit or license
only with parental consent. This gives parents the power to make
choices as to what is best for each individual child. By taking this
power away from parents, H.B. 2078 takes away the ability of parents
to do what is best for their children.
Other Resources
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E-lert—May 1, 2008—Missouri: Calls Needed to Stop Dangerous Driver’s License Bill
Bill Text
Bill History