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

E-lert—May 1, 2008—Missouri: Calls Needed to Stop Dangerous Driver’s License Bill

Bill Text