A committee substitute for SB 296 that would repeal the statewide mandate on middle- and high-school start times and return scheduling decisions to local school districts was reported favorably by the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee after a lengthy public record featuring parents, health professionals and district representatives.

Sen. Jason Bradley, sponsor of the repeal measure, said the 2023 law — which requires middle schools not to start before 8 a.m. and high schools not to start before 8:30 a.m. beginning in 2026 — imposed a uniform schedule on 67 diverse districts and created substantial logistical challenges. “A state mandate on school start times would present incredible challenges financially and otherwise,” Bradley said, citing bus fleets, driver shortages, impacts on students’ jobs and extracurricular activities, and safety concerns for younger children waiting at early morning stops.

Eileen Siegel of the Florida PTA told the committee the PTA supports returning the decision to local districts and parents after local review and public engagement. “We ask you to please vote and support this bill and let it go back to the local school boards and districts and let them interview their parents,” Siegel said.

Opponents included pediatrician Lynn Keefe of Okaloosa County, who spoke against repeal. Keefe summarized sleep-research conclusions for adolescents and urged retaining statewide guidance. “Teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep and their sleep cycle starts close to 11 p.m.,” she said, warning that REM sleep between roughly 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. is critical and that chronic sleep loss harms academic performance, mood regulation and health. Keefe cited examples of counties that moved start times later and reported transportation cost neutrality or savings and academic and attendance improvements.

Other public witnesses representing small districts, PTAs and district superintendents testified in support of returning the decision to local control, citing geographic size, seasonal population shifts, traffic congestion, after-school work and extracurricular commitments, and staffing constraints as reasons the statewide mandate could be impractical in their communities.

The committee substitute does not remove the requirement that district school boards inform the community about the health, safety and academic impacts of sleep deprivation and to consider later start times; it instead returns final schedule authority to local boards. The subcommittee reported CS for SB 296 favorably on roll call.