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Bay Area Students' Proposed Laws Taken Seriously

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By VALERIE KALFRIN

vkalfrin@tampatrib.com

Published: March 28, 2009

TAMPA - Bay area high-school students hope to persuade state legislators to make teenagers wear headsets when talking on a cell phone while driving and to give mandatory jail time to teachers who have sex with students.

The proposals surfaced as part of this year's Ought to Be a Law competition, sponsored annually by Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Tampa, and Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa.

Students from Leto High School who drafted the bill about cell phones and other electronic devices were in Tallahassee last week to lobby before a committee.

Students from Armwood High School who drafted the teacher-student sex bill traveled to Tallahassee on Thursday for a similar purpose. "The kids are very excited to see the process in action," Principal Marc Hutek said.

The teacher-student sex bill passed 7-0 through a state House committee Friday but still has several stops before reaching the House floor.

Armwood history teacher Tony Pirotta said four Armwood students spoke to the committee Friday.

"Right now it looks very favorable," he said of the bill's chances to become a law. "We really didn't meet much resistance once the representatives found out what the bill was about."

If enacted, both bills would take effect Oct. 1.
Karishma Mahtani wrote the presentation for the electronics bill, which was selected as the competition's winner. She and the Leto students are working with Ambler's staff. Ambler is a co-sponsor of the bill, filed as House Bill 1127.

Rep. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, who helped judge the competition, liked the Armwood students' idea so much she offered to work with them, officials said. Stargel filed a bill titled Sexual Misconduct With Students by Authority Figures. The Senate has a twin bill.

The electronics bill would prohibit drivers younger than 18 from using a cell phone unless wearing a hands-free headset. The bill also would allow law enforcement to levy a $50 fine and add 1 point to the license of a driver who is stopped for another violation and is found to have been sending text messages or using an MP3 player or a personal gaming device. The enhancement is similar to those given drivers caught speeding in construction zones.

A study by Allstate insurance found that Tampa is the worst city for teen drivers, increasing the need for better focus on the roads, said an Ambler aide, Amber Smith.

The teacher-student sex bill would make any sexual conduct between students and teachers a first-degree felony, requiring jail time. Armwood student Kelly Drapeza noted in her presentation that state statutes now consider sexual activity with a specified minor a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Only one of the 10 Bay Area teachers accused in a sex scandal since 2005 "has served even a day of jail time," Drapeza said in the presentation.

"The court system has not done an adequate job of prosecuting the sexual offenders that we once called educators," the presentation states. "House arrest and probation are obviously not effective enough deterrents."

LINKS

The text of the proposed bills is available online.

Visit: the state House Web site at http://www.myflorida house.gov

Use: the "Bill Finder" search box on the left-hand side of the main page to find the bills.

Search: for 1127 for the electronics bill.

Search: for 0659 for the teacher-sex bill.

Reporter Josh Poltilove contributed to this report. Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800.

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