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Hackworth Sponsors Bill to Protect School Children
A note from Rep. Jim
Hackworth.
I sponsored a bill that passed in the House of Representatives and is up
next week in the Senate. This bill, while not as controversial or
exciting as many of the partisan issues you hear about in the news, is
something that I believe is very important and can help in protecting
our children.
Many of you in Anderson County have called or written me to talk about
issues of safety when it comes to school zones. Even with posted
signs, flashing lights and traffic guards there are many that still
drive recklessly near schools. All it takes is one careless driver not
paying attention to cause a fatality.
House Bill 2653 is a bipartisan bill I have sponsored with Republican
State Senator Randy McNally that prohibits motor vehicles from crossing
a roadway in a school safety zone when a pedestrian is present. This
means that, no matter where inside the school zone the people are
present, if they are crossing the street it means that cars are required
to stop. Not doing so would result in a Class C misdemeanor that
carries a penalty of up to 30 days in jail and a $50 fine.
Drivers in local school zones must recognize that kids are kids, and
that sometimes things can happen around a school that may require quick
reactions. Not recognizing this could mean the difference between
life and death. Our children are too fragile to have speed racers
or cell phone chatters rampaging through school zones. Drivers
must take more responsibility for the roads they travel on as well as
the people around them, not just when they see the occasional.
My hope is that we can cut down on pedestrian accidents and increase
safety among our schools. While we cannot legislate
responsibility, we can make laws to punish those who would act
irresponsibly. Our children will one day take our places as
leaders in the community, so today we must be leaders by helping to
protect them.
If you would like to learn more about school zone safety legislation, or
if you have an issue you’d like me address, then please contact my
office at (615) 741-4400 or e-mail me at
rep.jim.hackworth@legislature.state.tn.us.
Thank you again for taking time to learn more about what your state
government is doing for you and I look forward to speaking with you
again soon.
Rep. Jim Hackworth
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