Bill Would Allow 14-Year-Olds To Drive Themselves To Charter Schools

CARSON CITY, Nevada (CBS Local) -- Nevada is considering a bill which would allow more students as young as 14 years old to get a driver's license under certain circumstances.

Assembly Bill 213 would expand an existing state law that lets rural Nevadans as young as 14 to drive to school where the district doesn't provide transportation. This bill would grant privilege to charter school students regardless of where their school is located.

The driver's license would only be good for the school year it's issued and would restrict students to drive to and from school at speeds 55 miles per hour or less, the Las Vegas Sun reported.

Assemblywoman Alexis Hansen, a Republican from Sparks, said she introduced the bill to make it easier for kids to attend charter schools that they otherwise couldn't because of a lack of transportation.

"I'm concerned about the disconnect that some students have in high schools, particularly high schools in their neighborhood that might not be a fit for these public school students," she said. "So they have an opportunity to go a charter school that might be addressing the interests and the kinds of things they want to do."

Hansen said students who violate any terms of the restrictions would lose their license until age 18.

"This is not for kids who don't take it seriously," she said.

The Assembly's Growth and Infrastructure Committee is set to meet Thursday to discuss the bill. If eventually passed, the bill would be effective July 1, 2019, KSNV reported.