1st Florida subcommittee OKs bill to roll back teen labor rules

1 year ago 303

House bill would expand the number of working hours for 16 and 17-year-olds

Florida House of Representatives.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A Florida House subcommittee passed a bill Wednesday that would allow some teens to work more hours, and work earlier or later in the day. It’s the first big step in making the bill a law.

HB 49 deletes a part of current state law that says minors aged 16 or 17 can’t work more than 30 hours a week when school is in session, or for more than eight hours in a day when school is scheduled the next day.

The bill also allows 16 or 17-year-olds to work before 6:30 a.m. or after 11 p.m., and it prohibits city and county governments from passing more stringent child labor rules.

HB 49was introduced by State Rep. Linda Chaney, a Republican from St. Pete Beach. The bill does not yet have a companion in the Florida Senate, which could hinder the ability of this bill to become a law. It has two more committee stops before it gets to the Florida House floor for a vote.

The bill would make Florida the latest state to loosen child labor laws, from expanding the number of hours youth can work, to even removing restrictions on the type of work they can do.

The annual Florida Legislative Session starts in January. If passed, HB 49 would take effect on July 1, 2024.

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