A bill that weakens Florida’s child labor laws advanced out of committee on Tuesday.
The bill, H.B 49, would allow employers to treat 16- and 17-year-olds like adults, and schedule them to work for six days a week for more than 8 hours per day and more than 30 hours a week, even when school is in session.
The bill advanced out of the Florida House Commerce Committee Tuesday on a party line vote with every Republican supporting the measure, local NBC News affiliate WPTV reported.
Supporters of the bill argue that it would solve an employee shortage in Florida especially as the state cracks down on illegal immigration.
“Our education is flexible now— we need to have our workforce flexible,” Rep. Linda Chaney, the Republican lawmaker who introduced the legislation last year said.
Chaney also hailed the bill as “a good step forward for the State of Florida, for our young people, for our small businesses.”
Another Republican, Rep. Kevin Steele argued that the bill is needed because children nowadays have gotten weak.
“We’ve been weakening our society since before my time. You know, I started working at, like, 13 years old, a full-time job. I wrestled. I played every sport you can imagine,” Steele said. “So the idea that they can’t afford to have these kids do this is an anomaly for me in my mind. If there’s an issue with inflation, we should address that with the federal government, not the state of Florida. So I appreciate you running this bill. You guys continue doing the great work and help change your youth, the youth, out there to have them start working full-time.”
A similar bill is making its way through the Florida Senate which would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work on construction projects in residential areas up to six feet high.
The six feet high rule replaced an original provision that allowed teenagers to work on roofs.
The full House, where Republicans have a supermajority, is expected to vote on the bill in the coming weeks. And with both the Senate and House Republicans in alignment, the legislation is expected to pass.
It still remains unclear whether Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) will sign it into law. But several GOP governors in other states have signed similar legislations.
