Some Galesburg area students recently had a chance to speak in front of committees in Springfield.
ROWVA junior Lucy Kuelper testified before the House Transportation Vehicles and Safety Committee in support of House Bill 4711, which is designed to educate drivers about the “Move Over” law.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dan Swanson, R-Galesburg, passed through the Illinois House and is on its way to the Senate.
“I’m glad the House has joined in taking this important step toward making Illinois motorists more aware of what to do when they see a vehicle stopped on the roadside,” Swanson said. “We have seen far too many crashes, injuries and even deaths that could have been prevented with a little more knowledge.”
The bill focuses on driver’s license applicants in their testing process. The bill suggests that should an applicant provide an incorrect answer on the written test regarding Scott’s Law, the applicant will be provided information from the Secretary of State’s office regarding the law’s requirements. The bill passed the House 112-0.
A daughter of an Illinois State Trooper, Kuelper founded the “Move Over Project” five years ago as a means of spreading awareness of the need to slow down and move over to keep first responders safe on roadsides.
Student speaks before House committee
Swanson not only sponsored Kuelper to testify at a House committee, he also sponsored Lauryn Russell to testify before a committee. Russell spoke to the House Elementary and Secondary Education: School Curriculum and Policies Committee.
Russell, a homeschool student from Mercer County, spoke on House Bill 4274, which is Swanson-sponsored legislation regarding developing guidelines for schools if nurse or other school personnel remove a tick from a student. Russell is a veteran at speaking before General Assembly committees, having done so in the House and Senate regarding Lyme disease medical care, awareness and better treatment.
The bill has passed committee and is in the second reading on the House floor.
“I enjoyed having Lauryn and Lucy in Springfield,” Swanson said. “There is no substitute for a first-hand perspective when it comes to making the case for the merits of a bill. They both did an excellent job and really helped us to make progress on enacting these pieces of legislation.”
This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Galesburg-area student testifies on driver safety legislation