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Tennessee Law Suspends Bullying Teens’ Driver Licenses for One Year

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Updated Jul 3, 2025, 04:20 AM

Tennessee has begun enforcing a law that allows courts to suspend or delay a minor’s driver’s licence for as long as one year if the youth is convicted of bullying or cyberbullying. The statute took effect on 1 July and applies to offenders under 18 who are adjudicated delinquent; those 18 and older can still face a misdemeanor charge under earlier legislation.

Under the measure, courts must notify the Tennessee Department of Safety to block issuance of a licence or to revoke a current one. First-time offenders can petition for a restricted licence—valid only for travel to school, work or church—within 10 days of sentencing and on payment of a US$20 fee. Driving on a suspended licence carries additional penalties.

Sponsored by Republican Representative Lowell Russell, the bill passed the General Assembly 85–10 with broad bipartisan support. Russell said the measure is intended to deter behaviour that research links to mental-health problems, violence and higher suicide risk among teenagers.

The new penalty expands a 2024 law that first classified bullying and cyberbullying as criminal acts. Advocates say Tennessee appears to be the first US state to tie driving privileges directly to bullying offences, adding a tangible consequence in a state where federal data indicate about one in five students reports being bullied.

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#Tennessee #Tennessee Department of Safety #Republican #Lowell Russell #General Assembly #Russell #US

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New Tennessee law will suspend driver's license of teens found guilty of bullying

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New Tennessee law bans minors from driving for one year after conviction for bullying

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Tennessee students who bully their classmates – both in school or online – could lose their driving privileges as punishment thanks to a new law that took effect this week.

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Tennessee Law Suspends Bullying Teens’ Driver Licenses for One Year

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Tennessee Law Strips Bullying Teens of Driver’s Licenses for One Year

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Tennessee Law Suspends Bullying Teens’ Driver Licenses for One Year

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