ORLANDO, Fla. — A bill moving through the Florida Senate aims to loosen child labor protections in the state.

What You Need To Know

  • Senate Bill 918 passed its first senate committee this week

  • The bill is moving through the Florida Senate, and aims to loosen child labor protections

  • As this bill continues to progress at the Florida Capitol, a group that came back from Tallahassee says they’ll continue advocating until the bill fails

Senate Bill 918 passed its first Senate committee this week.

It would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work unlimited hours and days without any required breaks during the school year.

Currently, they’re limited to 30 hours a week and required to take at least a half hour break if they were working a longer shift.

It could also change the rules for 14- and 15-year-olds, removing all employment restrictions for those who have graduated high school, are enrolled in virtual or homeschooled. They’d also be able to work unlimited hours and days without breaks during the school year.

 “The fact that did this pass the committee is the first step in a bill becoming a law and so for people concerned about the issue they are now beginning to talk about it a lot more and point out potentially some of the shortcomings,” said University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett.

As this bill continues to progress at the Florida Capitol, a group that just came back from Tallahassee says they’ll continue advocating until the bill fails.

Cameron Driggers and Simone Liang talked about their trip to Tallahassee while going through photos and videos of their recent visit — during which they testified against Senate Bill 918. 

“We came, and we told our stories," Liang said. "A lot of us have worked these jobs when we were younger."

Both are part of the Youth Action Fund, an organization led by young people and a resource center for them to lead community campaigns. 

“This is a bill that would essentially gut child labor protections in the state of Florida, allow students to work late hours before and after school, remove mandatory breaks,” said Driggers.  

Both say it would put power back into the hands of corporations.

“That has the power to schedule these students and these young people to not have a lunch break, no sort of limits on what hours they can work on school nights,” said Liang.

They both say the bill encourages working class youth to forego education and work more.

“The solution to deporting immigrant workers is not to put children to work. That’s not the solution," Driggers said. "There’s a real affordability crisis in the state of Florida — there are real issues plaguing not only young people but working people all across the state."

Bill sponsor Sen. Jay Collins said it aligns Florida law with federal law and standards.

“It was actually the benefits of academics mixed with labor and working that I found those soft skills that I found ways to grow out of poverty,” Collins said.

He said there are benefits of working at an early age, and Senate Bill 918 is also about standing up for parental rights. 

“We should let them say what’s best for their kids at 16- to 17-year-olds, that’s what we’re saying by this,” said Collins,

Back in Orlando, Driggers and Liang have a collection of shirts they wear, and give out with messages that amplify their mission.

“Students have power and that’s no more evident than when we visited Tallahassee yesterday to make it clear where we stood,” said Driggers.

Driggers said they’re going to keep going to Tallahassee to share their stories. 

The bill has already passed a Senate committee, but ultimately it has to pass the full Senate.