Florida lawmakers are considering a controversial new bill that would allow teens as young as 14 to work overnight shifts, even on school nights, CNN reports.
The move comes as the state faces labor shortages after strict crackdowns on undocumented workers. Businesses struggling to fill low-wage jobs are looking for help, and lawmakers think teenagers might be the answer.
The bill, which passed a state Senate committee this week, would roll back current child labor restrictions. Right now, teens under 16 can’t work before 6:30 a.m. or after 11 p.m. on school days. If the new law passes, those limits would be gone.
Governor Ron DeSantis supports the proposal. He’s been vocal about reducing reliance on undocumented labor and says U.S. teens and college students should step up to fill those jobs.“Why do we say we need to import foreigners… when teenagers used to work at these resorts?” DeSantis asked during a panel last week.
The bill still has to pass through two more committees before a full vote in the Florida Senate. Critics, including economists, warn the policy could do more harm than good—raising ethical concerns and possibly fueling inflation by shrinking the labor pool even further.
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