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This is absolutely BANANALAND. In Vermont, a state senator by the name of John Rodgers (photo below, credit to Vermont Senate website in the public domain interest), has proposed a bill that would BAN CELL PHONE USE PERIOD by anyone under the age of 21.
Not only would cell phone use be BANNED.... it would make it punishable by ANYONE under the age of 21 with an entire YEAR IN JAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!
BRO. What is going on in Vermont? I get the sentiment... but this is just ridiculous.
Read the text of the bill:
Introduced by Senator Rodgers
Subject: Crimes; possession of cell phones by persons under 21 years of age
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to prohibit the 8 possession of cell phones by persons under 21 years of age. An act relating to prohibiting the possession of cell phones by persons 10 under 21 years of age
FINDINGS
The General Assembly finds: The use of cell phones while driving is one of the leading killers of teenagers in the United States. According to the United States Department of Transportation, cell phones are involved in 1.6 million automobile crashes each year, causing half a million injuries and 6,000 deaths. Each day, 11 teenagers die in automobile crashes in this country.
(2) Young people frequently use cell phones to bully and threaten other 20 young people, activities that have been linked to many suicides.
(3) The Internet and social media, accessed primarily through cell 2 phones, are used to radicalize and recruit terrorists, fascists, and other extremists.
(4) Cell phones have often been used by mass shooters of younger ages 5 for research on previous shootings.
(5) 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.
POSSESSION OF CELL PHONES BY PERSONS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE PROHIBITED A person under 21 years of age shall not possess, own, or use a cellular telephone. A person who violates this subsection shall be imprisoned for not more than one year or fined not more than $1,000.00, or both