The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee temporarily postponed consideration of SB 16 72, the Labor Pool Act repeal proposal, after more than an hour of public testimony from workers and advocates who urged senators to reject the repeal.

The bill, presented by Senator Trudell, would "remove provisions of Florida law that are duplicative as it pertains to labor pools," according to the sponsor's explanation. Supporters of retaining the Labor Pool Act said federal protections do not substitute for the state law's specific worker protections.

Alfredo Patino, identified in the record as "a member with Beyond the Bars," said the change would deepen exploitation for people with conviction records. "This is a system built to exploit desperation for people with records," Patino said. He described practices he attributed to large labor companies that, he said, keep workers in a state of insecurity and sometimes pay below minimum wage.

Devonte Gibbs, who identified himself as "a day laborer and a member of Beyond the Bars," described being blocked from permanent hiring opportunities and chronic under‑resourcing at worksites. "We deserve to know what's being taken from our pay... This is the bare minimum and please don't take that away from us," Gibbs said.

Maya Ragsdale, identified as "co‑executive director of Beyond the Bars and a licensed attorney in the state of Florida," urged senators to preserve the Labor Pool Act's specific protections — for example, itemized pay statements, seating while workers wait, limits on paycheck deductions and prohibitions on charging for uniforms or safety gear in many cases. Ragsdale told the committee those protections "do not exist anywhere else in federal or state law."

After public comment, Senator Nolia moved to "temporarily postpone this bill." The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote; the chair announced the bill would be moved to the next meeting so out‑of‑town speakers could be heard and committee members could ask additional questions.

The committee did not take a roll‑call vote on the substance of SB 16 72 during the meeting. The transcript records senators agreeing to defer the measure to the next committee meeting so stakeholders could have their day and members could follow up with questions.

The postponement leaves the Labor Pool Act in place for now while the legislature continues to consider whether and how to change state regulation of day‑labor centers and temporary staffing practices.

Looking ahead, the committee commentary indicates the bill will be returned to the agenda at the next meeting for further debate or a final disposition.