RICHMOND — Senate committees approved two bills Monday that would tighten restrictions on juveniles who are convicted of alcohol, drug or weapons offenses.
One of the measures would block a judge from allowing a teenager to drive to school if he or she has been convicted of one of the three offenses. Currently, judges can allow teens to drive under a restricted license.
Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge, sponsored the measure, HB 863. He said he hoped it would force those teenagers to ride the bus to school.
“I’ve found that riding the bus can be a worse punishment for a juvenile than having the driver’s license suspended,” said Cline, who prosecutes juvenile cases in Rockingham County courts.
The bill’s 14-0 approval in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee moved the bill close to passage. The House of Delegates approved it earlier.
“No restricted license shall be issued for travel to and from home and school when school-provided transportation is available,” the legislation reads. The existing law gives judges discretion to issue a restricted permit.
Another Cline-sponsored bill, HB 862, allows judges to find teenagers guilty of alcohol possession if their parents want a guilty verdict issued.
Currently, Cline said, judges cannot issue a judgment that the teen was guilty of possessing alcohol, even if he or she did so.
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