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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 15, 2023 10:56 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Stephen Kinsey and Rep. Eric R. Nelson |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Lowering the Driving Age |
| While state law allows young people in Pennsylvania to begin working before they are 16 years old, it limits their employment choices by prohibiting them from driving until the age of 16. If Pennsylvania teens wish to work and are legally permitted to do so, they should not be denied the right to travel to their place of employment. To end this arbitrary age discrimination, we will be introducing legislation to change the age of eligibility for a junior driver’s license to 15 years old and establish an age of eligibility of 15 years old for a learner’s permit. A 15-year-old driver will be subject to the same extensive training and safety measures that currently exist for young drivers, including passenger limitations and nighttime driving restrictions. Three neighboring states—West Virginia, Ohio, and Maryland—recognize the societal contributions that individuals under 16 can make by allowing them to get their learner’s permits. Joining these states would mean more financial empowerment for Pennsylvania’s youth and more tax revenue for the state. Working teens learn accountability while contributing to their communities. Please join us in inviting more young people to participate in building their own and Pennsylvania’s economic future by signing on to this proposal. |
Introduced as HB460
Memo Updated: February 15, 2023 10:57 AM