A bill from the governor’s office that would have loosened child labor laws in Florida has died in the state Senate. Oh darn. Via Newsweek:
The proposal came as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, touted using teenagers as a replacement for the labor of migrants who are in the country illegally.
[…] The bill would have permitted 16- and 17-year-olds to work overnight on school days and work longer than an eight-hour day before a school day. Some 14- and 15-year-olds would also have been allowed to work those hours.
Proponents said the bill aligned with federal child labor law and would help combat labor shortages, but critics warned that it posed serious risks of exploitation.
If approved, Senate Bill 918 would have removed restrictions on the number of hours that 16- and 17-year-olds can work per week during the school year.
Exploitation? In Florida? Say it isn’t so!
Let’s see. The law would have scrapped required 30-minute meal breaks and allowed children as young as 14 who are homeschooled or enrolled in virtual school to work overnight shifts. Sounds non-exploitive to me, amirite?
The Orlando Weekly confirmed the language in the bill came from staff within DeSantis’ office.
