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FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) – In the first four days of the 2025 legislative session, more than 300 bills were filed between the House of Representatives and the Senate.
One bill, House Bill 15, aims to lower the driver’s permit age requirement to 15 years old. It is currently 16 years old.
“We’re clearly an outlier on this with this high of a threshold to get a permit,” said Rep. Steven Rudy (R-Paducah), the House Majority Floor Leader.
Border states Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee and West Virginia all allow learner’s permits starting at 15 years old. Border states Ohio and Virginia allow them at 15 years and 6 months.
“If parents don’t want their kids to get their permits, we’re not mandating that they have to, we’re just saying they can,” said Rep. Rudy.
The bill has only been introduced in the House of Representatives on Jan. 8 and still has a long way to go before it can become law. However, AAA said they have concerns about having more young drivers out on the road.
“By lowering the age further, you run the risk that a greater proportion of the new drivers on the road might not have reached that level of maturity that they can make those good decisions behind the wheel,” said Lori Weaver-Hawkins of AAA Bluegrass.
The bill does already have bipartisan support, with one cosponsor being freshman democrat Rep. Erika Hancock (D-Frankfort).
“I believe it’s more about experience than it is about age,” said Rep. Hancock.
