An Arizona lawmaker wants to change the age a teen can receive their learner’s permit. Republican Rep. Nick Kupper of Surprise has filed draft legislation that would lower the age by six months, to 15 years old.
But there is a catch: Kupper's bill requires practicing with adult supervision for at least nine months. That’s three months longer than is currently required before being eligible to apply for a driver's license.
"Thirty-four states allow kids to get their permits earlier than Arizona does. And those 34 states tend to have lower fatalities per vehicle mile traveled for teens than we do," he said.
Kupper says the data shows that lowering the age could lead to fewer teen crashes because it gives them an entire year of supervised driving practice. Some critics dispute that, saying the quality varies from family to family.
-
No More Deaths’ aid camp is stationed in the middle of the Sonoran Desert, a few miles from the border in southern Arizona. The group said that site was raided by Border Patrol agents the Sunday before Thanksgiving. -
Members of the Scottsdale City Council have scaled back some of the proposed changes to their public comment policy, following pushback from some residents. -
Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs says she won’t give in to the Trump administration’s threat to withhold SNAP funding unless states hand over data about the program’s recipients. -
After finally being sworn in following a historic seven-week delay, Arizona Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva is using her first legislative act to fulfill a campaign promise she made to tribes in Arizona and across Indian Country. -
There's nothing unconstitutional about having a state Court of Appeals deciding cases where not everyone from every county gets to vote on every judge, the Arizona Supreme Court has concluded.
