Fast Facts: HB 49 Would Undo Decades of Child Labor Protections in Florida

At the start of committee weeks leading up to the 2024 legislative session, the Legislature introduced House Bill (HB) 49, “Employment and Curfew of Minors.” This legislation would allow employers to schedule 16- and 17-year-olds for unlimited hours, without breaks, overnight, and for more than six days in a row — whether during school months or not. HB 49 also preempts (or blocks) local governments from passing curfews for teen workers that are stricter than state law. 

Florida’s Department of Education and Department of Business and Professional Regulation both emphasize that the state’s current child labor laws are meant to protect children’s health, workplace welfare, and education. Yet, HB 49 would undo decades of these vital protections for Florida’s children and allow for the increased exploitation of child workers in the Sunshine State. 

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