1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

HB 1225 and SB 918 would dramatically roll back longstanding child labor protections in Florida, posing significant risks to the health, education, and well-being of youth workers. These bills would allow employers to schedule 16- and 17-year-olds for unlimited hours with no days off, extend this to 14- and 15-year-old dropouts, and even permit hiring 13-year-olds over the summer. Child labor violations in Florida are already at the second highest level in 15 years, impacting over 110,000 working teens aged 15-17. Most concerningly, 72% of employed 16- and 17-year-olds also attend school - working excessive hours is linked to poorer academic performance and higher dropout rates. Eroding protections would force many youth into an unfair choice between prioritizing education or employment. Given the alarming facts presented, I firmly oppose any efforts to weaken child labor laws in Florida. Protecting the welfare of young workers and prioritizing their educational attainment are crucial for their long-term economic stability. The proposed rollbacks in HB 1225 and SB 918 pose unacceptable risks and should be rejected to uphold reasonable limits that strike a balance between work and school for minors.