By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — A House committee on Tuesday endorsed a bill that would place new restrictions on young drivers.

The House Transportation Committee gave a “do pass” recommendation to Senate Bill 309 by Sen. Jimmy Jeffress, D-Crossett, which would amend the state’s driver’s license law to ban drivers under 18 from driving between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. except when coming home from a school function, work or during an emergency, or when accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older.

The bill also would prohibit a person under 18 from driving with more than one unrelated passenger who is younger than 18 unless accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 and occupying the front passenger seat.

The bill passed in the Senate last month in a 30-2 vote. It now advances to the full House.

Arkansas Surgeon General Dr. Joe Thompson, Arkansas Children’s Hospital President Dr. Jonathan Bates, Arkansas State Police Director Col. Winford Phillips and Gary Stephenson of State Farm Insurance were among the witnesses who testified for the bill.

“Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens,” Stephenson said. “Arkansas has the sixth highest rate for teen crash fatalities, double the national rate, and we’re running last in the nation in the amount of traffic safety law in place. So what we have been doing has not worked very well.”

The committee also heard emotional testimony from Peggy Hackett of Little Rock, whose 17-year-old daughter, Hannah, died in a 2006 car crash.

“If you don’t pass this bill and you’re sitting down one night watching TV and you see an accident that a child has died (in) and you’re thinking, ‘Could that have been prevented if we would have passed this bill?’ I can almost guarantee you that it would have been,” Hackett said.

A similar bill Jeffress filed in 2007 was defeated on the House floor after passing in the Senate. Jeffress choked up Tuesday as he asked the committee to endorse the bill.

“We had an opportunity two years ago to do something that would have saved at least 20 to 30 lives that we’ve lost and cannot call back,” he said. “I would implore you: Don’t let 20 or 30 more pass before we have an opportunity to do this again.”

Some committee members asked if the bill would give police authority to stop a vehicle just to check for violations. Phillips said police would not stop a vehicle unless they see a violation occur.

Jeffress said 47 other states have similar laws, and abuse by police has not been a problem.

Rep. John Burris, R-Harrison, questioned whether the Legislature risked going overboard in trying to promote safety.

“I could have a bill drafted today that would require people to wear sweaters if it was less than 45 degrees,” he said.

The committee endorsed the bill in a voice vote. No “no” votes were heard. Jeffress said later that despite the unanimous committee vote, he expected “a tough vote” on the House floor.

“If everybody in the 100-member House could hear the presentation we made today, I think it would be different. … But we’ll do what we can in the next 24 hours before the vote comes up to try to get the word out to as many of them as we can,” he said.