Matt Eible
Former DeWitt High School student Matt Eible had reason to smile this week as a teen driver law he is attempting to change successfully passed out of the House. The new bill, HB 4533, addresses problems created by a law from last year that recently went into effect and changed the driving curfew for many teenagers from midnight to 10pm.
Eible had served as an intern for Rep. Paul Opsommer, doing constituent work and providing insight on youth related legislation. When Eible saw the proposed curfew change last year he immediately went to Opsommer to point out problems.
“Michigan already had a strong graduated driver’s license program that helped ease new drivers onto the road,” said Eible. “But if some want to argue a midnight curfew is too late, 10pm is too early. I also objected to lobbyists who said parents wanted to see the law changed so that curfew decisions could be taken out of their hands in order to avoid arguments. I think parents are in a far better position to make those decisions; they know when their child needs to be out for a legitimate reason.”
Opsommer praised Eible for his work. “Matt was very dedicated, and I know he was disappointed with how they changed the curfew last year,” said Opsommer. “He pointed out how part of the law would simply put more young drivers on the road instead of less, and would force drivers to rush home in order to avoid getting a ticket at 10pm. If you have a 17- year-old trying to get their blackbelt in Taekwondo and the class ends at 9:45, you’re not giving them a lot of time if they live in rural areas. Matt is a big reason why I voted against last year’s bill and want to see it reexamined.”
Eible started a page on Facebook that has over 500 people on it opposed to the new curfew. While the new bill this year doesn’t change the curfew, Eible says it does include some changes he fought for and he knows there will be more chances for change. “Some want to see everything the legislature did last year repealed, but others want to put even more restrictions on teen drivers. This issue is not going away,” said Eible. “In New Jersey they passed a law where teen drivers had to put a red sticker on their car. And at the federal level, they have introduced the “Stand Up Act” that would take federal dollars away from states that don’t pass these laws in a specific way.”
Opsommer said he hopes the new bill, HB 4533, gets signed into law quickly because it directly addresses the most important unintended consequences of last year’s bill. But like Eible, he agreed the issue would come up again.
“I am looking forward to a healthy debate, but I’m opposed to additional restrictions made just to appease Washington D.C.. The merits should not be federal dollars.”