SoylentNews

Vermont Bill Would Ban Cell Phone Use by Anyone Younger Than 21

posted by janrinok on Saturday January 11 2020, @02:12PM   
from the making-a-point dept.

upstart writes in with an IRC submission for Bytram:

Vermont bill would ban cell phone use by anyone younger than 21:

A bill has been introduced in Vermont's legislature that would prohibit anyone under 21 years old from using or possessing a cell phone. However, the bill appears to be more about gun rights than cell phones.

The bill, introduced Tuesday by Democratic Sen. John Rodgers, says those under the age of 21 "are not developmentally mature enough" to posses and use cell phones safely. The bill cites fatal car crash and bullying among teens as reasons for the proposed legislation.

"The use of cell phones while driving is one of the leading killers of teenagers in the United States," according to the bill (PDF). "Young people frequently use cell phones to bully and threaten other young people, activities that have been linked to many suicides."

The bill would make possession or use of a cell phone by anyone under 21 punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The bill says that if those under 21 "aren't mature enough" to possess guns, smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol, then the same rule should apply to cell phone use. In recent years, the state has passed laws raising the minimum smoking age to 21 and prohibiting the sale of firearms to anyone under 21.

[...] "I have no delusions that it's going to pass. I wouldn't probably vote for it myself," he told the newspaper.

---

Original Submission

• Ya Got Trolled (Score: 4, Informative) by hemocyanin on Saturday January 11 2020, @06:40PM

  by hemocyanin (186) on Saturday January 11 2020, @06:40PM (#942277) Journal

  Here's a news outlet that understands what this bill is about: https://reason.com/2020/01/10/vermont-bill-criminalizing-cell-phone-use-for-anyone-under-21-is-a-brilliant-troll/ [reason.com]

  "I have no delusions that it's going to pass. I wouldn't probably vote for it myself," Rodgers told the Times Argus. He added that the Vermont legislature "seems bent on taking away our Second Amendment rights."

  The text of Rodgers' bill says that "young people frequently use cell phones to bully and threaten other young people, activities that have been linked to many suicides." The bill also notes that cell phones have been used to radicalize youth and that mass shooters have used them to research previous mass shootings.

  "In light of the dangerous and life-threatening consequences of cell phone use by young people, it is clear that persons under 21 years of age are not developmentally mature enough to safely possess them, just as the General Assembly has concluded that persons under 21 years of age are not mature enough to possess firearms, smoke cigarettes, or consume alcohol," the bill says.

  Starting Score:	1		point
  Moderation		+2
  Informative=2, Total=2
  Extra 'Informative' Modifier		0
  Karma-Bonus Modifier		+1
  Total Score:		4