At 17, Mark Merwitzer might be Florida's youngest lobbyist (游说者). The Miami high school junior appeals to authorities to keep drivers from texting behind the wheel.
Over the past year, the teen has met with county officials and state legislators (立法者)to argue that the police should be able to pull drivers over just for using their phones. Efforts in past years have struggled to advance, but recently, the bill got full support from the Senate Transportation Committee (参议院交通委员会).
Like many US people, Merwitzer has seen countless drivers texting behind the wheel. But last spring, while he was riding in the passenger seat of a vehicle, he saw drivers using smartphones in almost every car. A few drivers even appeared to lose control of their cars as they sped along. It dawned on (突然想到) Merwitzer that no one was doing anything to fix the problem.
We need to teach drivers how to properly and safely use technology behind the wheel which is not using it at all,” said Merwitzer.
For the 17-year-old teenager, advocating a new state law has been a crazy experience.
In order to carry out his plan，he put his focus on drumming up (争取)local support by starting an online petition (请愿)and speaking to village councils,
Merwitzer said the first time he spoke at a council meeting “was a complete stutter fest (口吃表演)，” but he quickly adapted to it.
“It really creates some standards that help everybody realize the importance of keeping their eyes on the road,” said Miami-Dade Commissioner (专员)Levine Cava.
The commissioner has been so impressed with Merwitzer's understanding of the political process. “He really learned very quickly how to be an effective citizen lobbyist,” she said.
So far, opposition to the bill has come mainly from police departments. Some are worried about the possibility of lawsuits (诉讼)if officers are accused of racially profiling (按种族形象定性) drivers when accusing them of texting and driving，Merwitzer said. The bill also has critics in the House, where lawmakers have yet to make plans for a hearing.
Merwitzer said he would one day like to be a state legislator, but in the meantime he has a few short-term goals, like finishing school and going to college. Once the legislative session (期间) is over, Merwitzer plans to turn his attention to another local problem: public transportation. “I'd like to focus on that，” Merwitzer said. “It seems like it's a giant mess,”
