Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa Credit: Photo via Jay Collins/Facebook

A year after lawmakers relaxed the state’s child labor laws, a divided Florida Senate panel on Tuesday gave initial approval to a measure that would further roll back work restrictions for kids as young as 14.

The proposal, which builds on the 2024 law, sparked heated debate, with critics of the plan saying it would lead to exploitation of children and proponents calling it a “parental rights” issue.

The bill (SB 918) would do away with restrictions on 16- and 17-year-olds, who would be able to work more than eight hours a day on school nights and over 30 hours a week while school is in session, without mandated breaks.

In addition, the measure aims to remove restrictions for 14- and 15-year-olds who have graduated from high school, are home-schooled or attend virtual school.

Bill sponsor Jay Collins, R-Tampa, told the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee that the bill would bring Florida into line with federal labor laws. Most of the jobs held by teens are in safe environments such as grocery stores, according to Collins.

“Ultimately, we’re not talking about ‘The Jungle’ by Upton Sinclair. We’re talking about them working at Publix, at Piggly Wiggly or jobs within the industry,” Collins said, referring to the book that exposed bad working conditions in the meatpacking industry. “This is a parental rights thing. Parents know their kids best.”

But Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, said the bill could allow employers to force young people to work long hours or risk being fired. Smith suggested the changes are being floated to help fill employment gaps triggered by the state’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Smith also questioned the rationale for allowing children as young as 14 to work overnight hours on a school night if they are home-schooled or enrolled in virtual school.

“This bill is going to lead to exploitation of minors, exploitation of children,” Smith argued.

Sen. Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville, reiterated comments from various young people who spoke against the proposal and outlined potential problems if the bill becomes law, such as sleep deprivation, academic decline or increased pressure on students who are working to help their families financially.

The bill “takes away basic safeguards” for children, Davis said.

“There is something detrimentally wrong with what we’re doing here in this legislation,” she added.

The Legislature last year passed a law that maintained a 30-hour work week limit for 16- and 17-year olds when school is in session, but it allowed parents, guardians or school superintendents to waive the 30-hour limit.

The law also allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to work more than eight hours on Sundays and holidays when school is the next day. It required that 16- and 17-year-olds working eight or more hours in a day get 30-minute meal breaks after four hours of work. The law, however, shielded children under age 16 from the relaxed restrictions.

While the 2024 law received intense pushback from groups such as the Florida PTA and the League of Women Voters of Florida, the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and other business groups backed it.

Alexis Tsoukalas, senior analyst at Florida Policy Institute, told the committee Tuesday panel that school absenteeism rates are soaring and that the vast majority of teens who have entered the state’s labor force are already working. Rolling back restrictions for the youngest workers is troubling, she said.

“This bill not only allows employers to schedule all 16- and 17-year olds for unlimited hours, overnight, and without breaks — but also targets kids as young as 14. For most, that means they’re in their first year of high school. We don’t let kids this young get a driver’s license and we’re worried about their social media consumption, so why are we OK treating them like they’re adults just because they’re home- or virtual-schooled?” Tsoukalas said.

Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, said he voted against last year’s bill and also opposes the current plan.

“I think we need to let kids be kids. I think the guardrails that we’re removing, even though it may be part of federal law, not in favor of it,” Gruters, R-Sarasota, said. “I just think it sends a bad message, and I think we should allow kids to work the hours that they’re allowed now with the waiver system, and that’s it.”

Other Republicans on the committee appeared skeptical about the changes but supported the measure, which was approved in a 5-4 vote.

Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-Indian Rocks Beach, pointed to concerns around easing work restrictions for 14- and 15-year-olds.

The bill “needs some work,” Sen. Tom Wright, R-Ormond Beach, said. “I will be up (vote in favor) to try to move this along today, but I think we have a long ways to go on this particular bill.”

Collins defended the proposed changes.

“This is about providing soft skills in executive functions, developing responsibility, sense of self and self-determination, learning personal finance, money management, assisting in growth in adulthood,” Collins said. “This is fundamentally a parental rights issue.”

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