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​Legislation 

Establishing safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate school hours is a bipartisan effort. The bills listed here are live or likely to be re-introduced.
If there's an active bill in your state, contact your elected representatives and ask them to support the legislation. ​If nothing is happening in your state, lobby your legislators and local officials.​

• ​To learn about a bill, click on its number, which will take you to the legislature's website. If we're missing a bill, let us know! 
• Learn about past legislation, including Congressional efforts. ​​​​ ​

​Common Types of School Hours Legislation

1. STUDY BILLS authorize a legislative committee, state agency or special commission to research the school hours issue, report its findings, and make recommendations.

2. INCENTIVE BILLS "reward" (with a designation or actual funding) school districts that take positive action and meet certain standards.  ​​

3. ​MANDATE BILLS establish a statewide minimum standard all districts must meet to ensure that students are provided with safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate school hours. ​​

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"Establishing a time before which schools should not begin mandated instruction is as fundamental as requiring schools to turn on the heat when the temperature falls below a certain level. Local districts would still set their own hours; they need only meet the minimum 'no earlier than' start time that’s proven to be essential to students’ well-being. It’s time for an evidence-based, sound policy discussion that prioritizes student health and achievement. Teaching adolescents at a time they cannot effectively learn is an ineffective use of public funds and undermines our children’s health and their chances for success today and in the future." -- California State Sen. Anthony Portantino, about his bill to "Start the School Day Later." 

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The dates in brackets indicate when an item was added or updated. Bills related to school hours have been introduced in at least 14 states. See below to learn which passed. ​

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State Legislation

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CALIFORNIA

• SB328, the Start the School Day Later bill, introduced by Sen. Anthony Portantino (D), "would  require the school day for middle schools and high schools to begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m." The legislation was passed by the state legislature in August 2018 but vetoed by outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown. Portantino says he will reintroduce similar legislation in the future. Supporters are encouraged to contact his office. [9/2018]​

MASSACHUSETTS

• 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]

​MINNESOTA

•  HF3256 and  SF2938 (2018) Length of School Year; Hours of Instruction; School Start Times states that a school board may not establish a start time before 8:30 a.m. for secondary schools and may not establish a school transportation schedule with a bus pickup time before 7 a.m. for elementary school students. If approved, the rule would go into effect in the 2021-2022 school year. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Thesis (R). Rep. Mariani (DFL), Rep. Urdahl (R), Rep. Kresha (R), Rep. Kunesh-Podein (DFL), Sen. Jim Abeler (R), Sen. Patricia Torres Ray (DFL), Sen. Justin Eichorn (R), Sen. Steve A. Cwodzinski (DFL) and Sen. Sandra L. Pappas (DFL).​ [3/2018]

RHODE ISLAND

• HB 5888 (2017) Relating to Education - School Committees and Superintendents, introduced by representatives Julie A. Casimiro (D), Susan R. Donovan (D), Robert E. Craven, Sr., Joseph M. McNamara (D), and K. Joseph Shekarchi (D), establishes that "all school districts shall commence the start of the school day for all their high schools at 8:30 a.m. The general assembly shall appropriate the sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) to each school district for the implementation of the mandated start time ...."  A study commission to examine the impact of such legislation has recommended moving forward with the bill. [8/2018]

State Successes

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Volunteers from Start School Later Maryland pose with Gov. Larry Hogan and legislators at the "Orange Ribbon" bill's signing.

INDIANA

• Indiana H.B. 1005 (2016) amended the state code to urge the Legislative Council to assign to the appropriate study committee the topic of school start time effects on “student safety, student achievement, and lost instruction time for students.”

MARYLAND

• Education, Section 7-122 (2016) the Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification recognizes districts that implement start times that are consistent with the hours recommended by the Maryland Department of Education and specified organizations. (See the Orange Ribbon Tool Kit)
• HB883 SB14 (2014) established a Task Force to Study Safe and Healthy School Hours for Maryland Public Schools. (Read its report.)​

NEW JERSEY

• Education, P.L., Chapter 96 (2014) an Act Requiring the Department of Education to Conduct a Study on School Start Times. (Read its report.)

​​​PENNSYLVANIA

• SR 417 (2018), introduced by Sen. Andrew Dinniman (D), directs the Joint State Government Commission to create a committee to conduct a study of issues, benefits and options related to instituting a later start time for secondary schools. The commission will issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the Senate within 12 months. 

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Back to the Future

Bills are often introduced many times before they succeed. To learn about past legislative efforts — including versions of the "ZZZ's to A's Act," a bill first introduced by U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (Calif.) in 1997 — visit our page about Past Legislation. ​Some of the ideas might work where you live, or inspire something even better.

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Local Acts and Actions

Many municipalities and local governments have passed legislation and resolutions related to school day start times. Visit the page of your state or local Start School Later Chapter to learn more.

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Know of a bill that's not here? Contact us!