Florida Republicans Want to Destroy Restrictions on Teenage Labor

A proposed Florida law seeking to roll back restrictions on teenage labor was drafted by a far-right conservative think tank pushing similar efforts nationwide

A new measure in Florida aims to allow 16-year-old kids to drop out of school and work full time.

An amendment to HB 49 — offered by the bill’s author, state Rep. Linda Chaney (R) — would eliminate laws that prevent 16 and 17-year-olds from working more than 30 hours a week, impose 8-hour workday restrictions, and guarantee mandated breaks every four hours.

The bill, introduced in September and now under review by the Florida House Regulatory Reform and Economic Development Subcommittee, would relegate 16 and 17-year-olds to virtually the same status as an employee who is over 18 years of age — provided that the teens have either formally dropped out of school or are taking classes online or at home. Furthermore, the bill would also severely curtail local municipalities’ ability to implement their own provisions to combat the workplace exploitation of minors.