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Past Legislation

The bills listed here were voted on and didn't pass — or never even received a vote. It doesn't mean these bills are bad. There are many reasons, often political, why a bill doesn't make it out of committee or into a legislature for a vote. Progress often moves slowly. A bill can be introduced many times, and changed many times, before it succeeds. The ZZZ's to A's Act, a bill first introduced by ​U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-California) in 1998 — has evolved many times over the years and has been introduced again. Follow the links below to learn about these past bills. The ideas might work where you live, or inspire something even better.

Federal Legislation: Inactive Bills

Introduced into the 116th Congress on March 25, 2019, HB 1861, the ZZZ’s to A’s Act directs the U.S. Secretary of Education to to conduct a study to determine the relationship between school start times and adolescent health, well-being, and performance.​

Federal Legislation: Expired Bills

State Legislatures: Expired Bills

ALASKA
  • SB149, or “Smart Start,” introduced by Senator Mia Costello, seeks to align the start times for high schools in Alaska so that the school day begins at 8:30 a.m. or later. ​Referred to the Senate Education Committee. (1/21/20)
CONNECTICUT
  • ​HB5217. Introduced by the House Education Committee, this act would require the state Education Department to establish a working group to study issues relating to school start times. (2/20/20) Referred to the Committee on Education (2/25/20).
  • HB6626, An Act Concerning Later High School Start Times to increase educational outcomes and overall productivity among high school students. Introduced by Rep. Quentin W. Phipps, this bill would amend chapter 164 "of the general statutes be amended to prohibit regularly scheduled instruction classes before 8:30 a.m. in any public high school." 
  • HB6206, An Act Concerning Later Middle and High School Start Times to establish safe, healthy and developmentally appropriate school hours. Introduced by Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, 18th Dist. Referred to Joint Committee on Education. [1/25/19]
  • HB5976, An Act Establishing a Task Force to Conduct a Study Concerning School Start Times, introduced by Rep. David Rutigliano, Referred to the Joint Committee on Education. [1/24/19]
  • HB6222, An Act Concerning the Establishment of Later Middle and High School Start Times, would permit school districts to establish later school start times for students in middle and high school that are appropriate to the needs of the school district and its students. Introduced by Rep. Lucy Dathan, 142nd Dist. Referred to the Joint Committee on Education. [1/25/19]
FLORIDA 
  • HB67 (2014) would have required district school board policies for high school start times. 
​​HAWAII
  • SB2450.. Requires Hawaii's public high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Sponsored by Senator Russell Ruderman. Passed Senate Education Committee with amendments (2/10/20).
  • HB318 HD1 Public Schools; Staggered School Start Times; School Bus Service Schedules; Task Force Study, appropriates funds requiring the Department of Education to convene a Staggered School Start Times Task Force to study and evaluate the issues and implications, including effects on school bus schedules. The bill requires a report to the Legislature. Passed the House and referred to the Ways and Means Committee. [3/22/19] Carried over to 2020 Regular Session.
INDIANA
  • HB1204 (2019). School Start Times​. Beginning with the 2020-21 school year, would have prohibited public schools and accredited nonpublic schools from: 1) beginning instruction before 8 a.m., 2) beginning instruction for grades 6-12 before time established by a governing body (or its equivalent) to begin instruction for grades 1-5. Sponsored by Pat Boy. Failed sine die.

MAINE
  • LD 711 An Act To Provide for a Later Starting Time for High Schools (2015) LD468, HP331 (2017), would have the state recommend that high schools do not start the school day before 8:30 a.m., and that extracurricular activities do not begin after 7:30 p.m. on evenings immediately prior to school days. ​
  • LD770, An Act To Provide for a Later Starting Time for High Schools, sponsored by Representative Matthea Daughtry, requires that, by September 1, 2020, each school administrative unit ensures that its secondary schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
MASSACHUSETTS​​​​​​​
  • H600. A resolve authorizing a study of starting times and schedules. Sponsored by Representative Carmen Gentile. Presented to the Joint Committee on Education (5/20/21).​
  • HR4430. Resolve authorizing a study of starting times and schedules. Resolve reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means. (2/20/20) No further action taken. (1/5/2021)
  • H529. An Act encouraging academic success. By Mr. McMurtry of Dedham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 529) of Paul McMurtry and others for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) of the start and end times for school days at public elementary and secondary schools. Redrafted as HR4430. (2/20)
  • S253. A resolve authorizing the state department of elementary and secondary education to convene an educational task force to review the effect of school day start times for middle school and secondary school students. Sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Creem.  Resolve reported favorably by Senate Education Committee and referred to the Committee on Senate Ways and Means (11/2019). A companion bill in the House, H468, sponsored by Rep. Carmen Gentile and many others, was reported favorably on the 20th and is now before House Ways and Means as H4430. (3/2/20).​
  • H468, a resolve creating a special commission to study school starting school times and schedules. Presented by Reps. Carmine Lawrence Gentile and Paul Brodeur. [2/9/19]  Died in committee. (Updated 2/7/20). ​
  • H289, an act sponsored by Rep. Robert M. Koczera (D) Authorizing a Study to Institute a Later Start Time to the School Day, wants the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to assemble a task force to study instituting a later start time to the school day. H2038 and S227, sponsored by Rep. Carmine L. Gentile (D), Sen. Cynthia S. Creem (D), Sen. Barbara A. L'Italien (D) and Sen. Susan Willams Gifford (R), seeks to Resolve Authorizing a Study of Starting Times and Schedules and calls for an "investigation by an educational task force of the effects of school day start times for middle school and secondary school students. In April 2018 the bills were referred to the Senate Ways and Means Commission. (Note: On May 30, 2017, Start School Later Massachusetts delivered a petition to state legislators with more than 5,000 signatures in support of starting school later.) [4/2018]
  • S2464, S215 (2013, 2016) an act authorizing a study of starting times and schedules.
  • S2203 A(2016) an act enhancing reform, innovation and success in education. 
  • H289, an act sponsored by Rep. Robert M. Koczera (D) Authorizing a Study to Institute a Later Start Time to the School Day, asked the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to assemble a task force to study instituting a later start time to the school day.  H2038 and S227, sponsored by Rep. Carmine L. Gentile (D), Sen. Cynthia S. Creem (D), Sen. Barbara A. L'Italien (D) and Sen. Susan Willams Gifford (R), sought to Resolve Authorizing a Study of Starting Times and Schedules and calls for an "investigation by an educational task force of the effects of school day start times for middle school and secondary school students. In April 2018 the bills were referred to the Senate Ways and Means Commission. (Note: On May 30, 2017, Start School Later Massachusetts delivered a petition to state legislators with more than 5,000 signatures in support of starting school later.) 
​MINNESOTA​​ NEVADA
  • SB211 (2015) set "no earlier than" times for elementary, middle and high schools at 9 a.m.
  • AB166 (2017) a bill Revising Provisions Governing Education, would have required school districts to set the time for the start of the school day as: "(1) not earlier than 7:30 a.m. or later than 8:00 a.m. for elementary schools; (2) not earlier than 8:15 a.m. or later than 8:45 a.m. for junior high or middle schools; and (3) not earlier than 9 a.m. or later than 9:30 a.m. for high schools." AB225 (2017) a bill Revising Provisions Governing Education, stated "each school district shall set the time for the commencement of  the school day which must not be earlier than 9 a.m. for a high school."​ The bills, each labeled by the legislature to "contain an unfunded mandate," did not proceed.

NEW YORK
  • A8202. Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, D-New York City, has proposed eliminating any school starting time earlier than 8:30 a.m. as part of A.8202. The legislation, co-sponsored by Senator Robert Jackson D-NYC 31st Senate District, would amend the state Education Law to set 8:30 a.m. as the earliest time a school could start its day with schools choosing to start earlier losing state school aid.  In Education Committee (8/25/21) In Senate Rules Committee (10/27/21). 
  • A3448 (2021) (Previously A8668 2019-20). Directing the commissioner of education to establish a commission to study the needs of adolescents and the effect that school day start times have on students. Sponsored by Linda Rosenthal. Passed by Assembly. (1/20/21)
PENNSYLVANIA 
  • HB 1912 (2017),  sought to amend the "Public School Code of 1949" by adding Section 113.1. Study of Secondary School Start Times, calling for the state's Department of Education to "conduct a study of issues, benefits and options related to instituting a later start time to the school day in secondary schools." 
  • ​HB2105 (2015) would have required the state Department of Education to conduct a study on options and benefits of instituting a later start to the secondary school day. ​
OHIO
  • SB218. In October 2019, days after California's landmark Start School Later bill was signed into law, Sen. Sandra Williams, D-Cleveland, introduced Senate Bill 218. The Ohio law would apply to district, charter and STEM schools at all grade levels. Referred to Education Committee 2019.
RHODE ISLAND ​SOUTH CAROLINA
  • SC H3394, sponsored by Rep. Wendell Gilliard, would create a Public School Start Time Study Committee "to determine the benefits of requiring public schools to extend current daily start times by one hour, and to make recommendations to the General Assembly regarding proposed changes to state laws necessary to implement such later start times for public schools." Referred to the Committee on Education and Public Works [1/8/2019]​ ​
TENNESSEE​
  • HB 1836/SB 1818, sponsored by Rep. John Clemmons (Nashville), and cross-filed by Sen. Brenda Gilmore, would require public high schools to begin instruction no earlier than 8:30 a.m. and middle schools no earlier than 8 a.m. beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. (Introduced 1/19.22) HB1836 has been referred to the House Education Committee and assigned to the K-12 subcommittee (1/25/22); SB 1818 was passed on 2nd introduction and referred to the Senate Education Committee (1/24/22). Sent to "summer study" by the House K-12 subcommittee (3/1/22).
  • HB 2532 (SB 2569) Requires office of research and education accountability to study the research on optimal starting times for the school day for different grade levels and report its findings to the education committees of the senate and house of representatives by Jan. 15, 2021. Sponsored by Reps. Hakeem and Clemmons and Senator Robinson.  Amends TCA Title 49. Failed sine die. (2020 bill, 111th Legislative Session)

​​​​TEXAS​​
  • HB3861 AN ACT relating to the establishment of a task force to study the effect of delayed school start times on students.. Referred to Public Education Committee (3/24/21).
  • HB 1602, which seeks to prohibit school districts from beginning classroom instruction before 8 a.m. The amount of $755,076,520 is appropriated from the general revenue fund to the Texas Education Agency to distribute to school districts for the purpose of offsetting any additional transportation costs. [2/11/19]
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
  • 33-0196, introduced in September 2019 by Senator Janelle Sarauw, would, prevent all middle, junior, and high schools from starting regular class before 8:30 a.m. (Introduced 9/26/19). Held in committee (10/22/19)
UTAH
  • HCR9 (2017) Consideration of a Later School Day Start for High School, encouraged "school districts and charter schools to consider possible benefits and consequences of a later start to the school day for high schools." The bill passed the Utah House of Representatives and was given a favorable recommendation by the Senate Education Committee but the legislative session ended before the resolution could be heard by the full Senate. ​
VERMONT VIRGINIA
  • HB34 (2014) required local school boards to set the daily school calendar so programs of instruction at public high schools start no earlier than 8 a.m. 
WASHINGTON
  • SB6429 (2016) created the "Sandman Act" would start all schools an hour later. 
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