Teen Bullies in Tennessee Should Get Used to Walking

Teen bullies in Tennessee are losing their driving privileges. Under a new state law, minors found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying by a juvenile court will lose their driver's licenses—or their ability to get a license—for up to a year. First-time offenders can apply for a tightly restricted license allowing them to drive to school, work, or church. The law passed with broad bipartisan support. The bill's sponsor, state Rep. Lowell Russell, says he hopes it will help prevent "tragic events." "I thought that the driver's license piece would be pretty important to get their attention," he says.

• "Bullying can cause long-term harm that results in mental health problems later in a person's life. Most acts of violence and suicides are noted as the result of being bullied. I simply got tired of nothing being done to stop bullying," Russell tells CNN.

• Scott Payne, outreach manager at Contact Care Line, a suicide and crisis hotline, tells WVLT that the law is a good first step. "I think it's great that the state is stepping up to try to do something about bullying," Payne says. "I would like to see, going forward, movement towards working with the bullies. You know, bullies aren't just born; they don't just pop up. They're products of their environment. So we need to be talking with them and finding out what's going on in their lives that's bringing about this type of behavior from them."
• Mark Pienkowski, a family law attorney in Knoxville, tells WBIR that lawmakers are "on the right track" but an exemption should be added to allow teens to drive to counseling sessions.