Florida Democratic lawmakers are beginning to hop on board with controversial legislation that would, in part, revise Florida’s child labor law to allow minors 16 and older to do non-clerical work in residential construction that is currently deemed too dangerous for minors.
The proposal is one of more than
to child labor laws introduced or passed in state legislatures over the last two years, despite reports of a stark
in Florida and across the country.
Records obtained by Orlando Weekly in November show the legislation, which broadly aims to bolster career and technical education opportunities for school-aged children,
for the home builder and construction industries, who have heartily defended the bill in front of House and Senate lawmakers.
Carol Bowen, a lobbyist for the Associated Builders and Contractors who helped draft the legislation, didn’t bother hiding this Thursday during a hearing of the legislation by a Florida House panel.