Florida on verge of walking back later start to school days for middle and high schools
Acknowledging the problems the 2023 law posed for many school districts, the Florida House on Tuesday unanimously agreed to give districts more local control over their bell schedules. The action came a month after the Senate voted unanimously for the change, meaning all that's left is for Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign off.
The changes codified in SB 296 would allow school districts to avoid the requirement that middle schools begin no earlier than 8 a.m., and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m., by studying the potential effects and submitting a report to the state detailing why the shift would not work for them.
House sponsor Rep. Anne Gerwig, R-Wellington, said the idea behind the original legislation, which gave districts three years to prepare, was well intentioned and backed by solid research on the sleep patterns of adolescents and teens.
While some districts were able to comply, Gerwig said, several others — mostly small rural and large urban ones — confronted circumstances that made it difficult to do so. Pinellas County officials, for instance, said altering their schedules could cost close to $3 million and require dozens of additional bus drivers. Pasco County schools had similar logistic concerns.
Gerwig noted the new requirement would still have districts explore the possibility of changing their schedules, but give them leeway if the consequences prove too daunting.
Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, D-Orlando, said she supported the measure, just as she opposed the initial version for some of the same reasons the reversal became necessary.
'I would hope this would be a lesson to this body,' Bracy Davis said. 'When this bill came, so many of us yelled to the rooftops about the unintended consequences. ... Unfortunately it fell on deaf ears. So here we are repealing the bill.'
To which Gerwig responded, 'A lot of times we don't really realize everything that could happen.'
Danielle Thomas, a lobbyist for the Florida School Boards Association, said the bill's passage was 'exactly what was needed' for districts, noting they would only have to submit a report to the state, and that it would not need approval.
Even before the House vote, local officials said they welcomed the opportunity to study start times with the flexibility to act as best meets their needs.
'We'll be doing all the things that we need to do, that the law requires,' said Betsy Kuhn, Pasco deputy superintendent. Whatever bell times are approved, Kuhn added, 'you don't make everyone happy unless everybody starts at 8:30 a.m.'
Pinellas school board member Lisa Cane said she has heard many students argue against changes that would interfere with after school activities and jobs. She stressed that dealing with traffic in the densely populated county will be a top concern alongside community wishes.
The Hillsborough County school district implemented later middle and high school start times before the Legislature mandate was adopted.
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Chicago Tribune
a few seconds ago
- Chicago Tribune
The House is looking into the Epstein investigation. Here's what could happen next
WASHINGTON — A key House committee is looking into the investigation of the late Jeffrey Epstein for sex trafficking crimes, working to subpoena President Donald Trump's Department of Justice for files in the case as well as hold a deposition of Epstein's former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. The Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee acted just before House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sent lawmakers home early for a monthlong break from Washington. The committee's moves are evidence of the mounting pressure for disclosure in a case that Trump has unsuccessfully urged his supporters to move past. But they were also just the start of what can be a drawn out process. Here's what could happen next in the House inquiry as lawmakers seek answers in a case that has sparked rampant speculation since Epstein's death in 2019 and more recently caused many in the Trump administration to renege on promises for a complete accounting. Democrats, joined by three Republicans, were able to successfully initiate the subpoena from a subcommittee just as the House was leaving Washington for its August recess. But it was just the start of negotiations over the subpoena. The subcommittee agreed to redact the names and personal information of any victims, but besides that, their demand for information is quite broad, encompassing 'un-redacted Epstein files.' As the parameters of the subpoena are drafted, Democrats are demanding that it be fulfilled within 30 days from when it is served to Attorney General Pam Bondi. They have also proposed a list of document demands, including the prosecutorial decisions surrounding Epstein, documents related to his death, and communication from any president or executive official regarding the matter. Ultimately, Republicans who control the committee will have more power over the scope of the subpoena, but the fact that it was approved with a strong bipartisan vote gives it some heft. The committee chairman, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said he told the speaker that 'Republicans on the Oversight Committee were going to move to be more aggressive in trying to get transparency with the Epstein files. So, we did that, and I think that's what the American people want.' Comer has said that he is hoping that staff from the committee can interview Maxwell under oath on Aug. 11 at or near the federal prison in Florida where she is serving a lengthy sentence for child sex trafficking. In a congressional deposition, the subject typically has an attorney present to help them answer — or not answer — questions while maintaining their civil rights. Subjects also have the ability to decline to answer questions if it could be used against them in a criminal case, though in this instance that might not matter because Maxwell has already been convicted of many of the things she will likely be asked about. Maxwell has the ability to negotiate some of the terms of the deposition, and she already conducted 1 1/2 days of interviews with Justice Department officials this past week. Democrats, however, warn that Maxwell is not to be trusted. 'We should understand that this is a very complex witness and someone that has caused great harm and not a good person to a lot of people,' Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the oversight committee, told reporters this week. Committee Republicans also initiated a motion to subpoena a host of other people, including former President Bill Clinton, former Sen. Hillary Clinton as well as the former attorneys general dating back to Alberto Gonzales, who served under George W. Bush. It's not clear how this sweeping list of proposed subpoenas will actually play out, but Comer has said, 'We're going to move quickly on that.' Trump is no stranger to fighting against congressional investigations and subpoenas. And as with most subpoenas, the Justice Department can negotiate the terms of how it fulfills the subpoena. It can also make legal arguments against handing over certain information. Joshua A. Levy, who teaches on congressional investigations at Georgetown Law School and is a partner at Levy Firestone Muse, said that the results of the subpoena 'depend on whether the administration wants to work through the traditional accommodation process with the House and reach a resolution or if one or both sides becomes entrenched in its position.' If Congress is not satisfied with Bondi's response — or if she were to refuse to hand over any information — there are several ways lawmakers can try to enforce the subpoena. However, that would require a vote to hold Bondi in contempt of Congress. It's practically unheard of for one political party to vote to hold one of its own members in contempt of Congress, but the Epstein saga has also cut across political lines and driven a wedge in the GOP. Ultimately, the bipartisan vote to subpoena the files showed how political pressure is mounting on the Trump administration to disclose the files. Politics, policy and the law are all bound up together in this case, and many in Congress want to see a full accounting of the sex trafficking investigation. 'We can't allow individuals, especially those at the highest level of our government, to protect child sex traffickers,' said Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., a committee member. The Trump administration is already facing the potential for even more political tension. When Congress comes back to Washington in September, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers is working to advance to a full House vote a bill that aims to force the public release of the Epstein files.
UPI
31 minutes ago
- UPI
House Democrats demand 'birthday book' from Epstein estate
1 of 4 | House Democrats have asked the estate of Jeffrey Epstein, pictured in jail before his 2019 death, to produce a book his associate Ghislaine Maxwell compiled for him in 2003 of letters from then-friends, including President Trump, to celebrate his 50th birthday. File Photo by New York State Division of Criminal Justice/EPA-EFE July 26 (UPI) -- House Democrats are demanding the release of a document held by Jeffrey Epstein's that allegedly contains a letter signed by President Donald Trump. The so-called "birthday book" is said to contain information about the convicted sex trafficker's personal relationships and was put together by his convicted former associate Ghislaine Maxwell in 2003. Maxwell herself was given a 20-year federal prison sentence in 2021 for helping Epstein procure young women, and spoke Friday with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche about the late financier's criminal activities. "Recent public reporting indicates that the Estate of Jeffrey Epstein is in possession of a document commonly referred to as 'the birthday book,' compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell in 2003 in celebration of Mr. Epstein's 50th birthday, which has clear relevance to this case," Rep, Ro Khanna, D-Calif., wrote in a letter addressed to three lawyers at separate New York City law firms. "Public reporting indicates that President Trump submitted a poem and drawing for the 'birthday book,' which contains messages and illustrations from wealthy and powerful friends and associates of Jeffrey Epstein." The letter is co-signed by Khanna, ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, and Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif. "The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has issued a subpoena to depose Ms. Maxwell, the book's alleged creator, and should be permitted to review its contents," the letter reads. In the opening sentence, lawmakers accuse Trump of continuing "desperate attempts to quell public interest in the release of files related to his longtime friend, convicted sex offender and child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein." Maxwell, who on Friday answered questions "honestly, truthfully" over several hours according to her lawyer, is set to appear in front of the House Oversight Committee on August 11. The 63-year-old was given partial immunity during the meeting where she was "asked about every single, every possible thing you could imagine. Everything," her lawyer David Oscar Markus later told reporters. Maxwell's appearance Friday is unrelated to the subpoena issued by the House Oversight Committee, which is conducting its own investigation. The letter penned by Khanna and Garcia asks for the book to be released by August 10 so members can review its contents prior to Maxwell's scheduled deposition. "The book is relevant for ongoing congressional oversight of the Department of Justice's handling of the Epstein investigation and prosecution, as well as the Trump Administration's decision to declassify and release only a handful of documents from its Epstein files while withholding others from the public," the letter reads. "Information gathered from this document may also inform the development of legislative reforms addressing sex trafficking networks, financial regulation, or other critical matters of public policy." Epstein died in 2019 while in custody in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City. His death was ruled a suicide ahead of his scheduled trial on federal charges related to sex trafficking.
NBC News
an hour ago
- NBC News
As Texas plows ahead with new maps, governors grapple with the prospect of mid-decade redistricting
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — As Texas Republicans plow ahead with a plan to redraw congressional maps ahead of schedule, many governors are increasingly grappling with an issue that they didn't think they'd have to confront until the end of the decade. Texas' unscheduled redistricting effort — which Republicans hope could help protect their narrow House majority during next year's midterm elections — has had a ripple effect, with governors across the country floating the possibility of following suit to either add to or counter or the plan, depending on their party affiliation. At the summer meeting of the bipartisan National Governors Association in Colorado Springs, Democrats largely condemned the efforts in Texas while cheering on efforts by members of their own party in other states. 'It's deplorable,' New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, said in an interview on the sidelines of the summit, referring to Texas Republicans' attempt. When it came to threats by Democratic Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and Kathy Hochul of New York to forge ahead with plans to redraw congressional lines in their states, Murphy added, 'I don't think we have a choice.' 'If they're going to play these games, we're going to have to be just as aggressive,' Murphy said, adding that 'we can't bring a knife to a gunfight.' Asked if he'd condone a redistricting effort in New Jersey, Murphy said 'all options are on the table in New Jersey,' though he acknowledged that there were major obstacles to doing so. 'I fear there are significant constitutional constraints here in our own [state] constitution,' he said. In New Jersey, like in many other states, an independent commission oversees redistricting. 'But we are looking at all options — and we have to, as Democrats. If this is the way the other guys are going to go, we have to respond forcefully,' Murphy said. 'We have no choice.' Hawaii's Democratic Gov. Josh Green called the actions by Texas Republicans 'really sinister,' 'unconscionable' and 'completely unethical,' and called on his fellow Democratic governors to 'fight fire with fire.' 'It's an obvious attempt to steal elections,' Green said, though he also said that 'the Democratic Party can't stand by and watch it happen.' 'It's very unfortunate, because two wrongs don't make a right. But we can't allow one party to break the rules and then consistently in the future break more rules,' he added. 'It's turning into a knife fight,' Green said. Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott kicked off a special legislative session on Monday, with congressional redistricting one of the topics on lawmakers' to-do list. The New York Times reported last month that members of Trump's political operation had privately urged Texas Republicans to redraw their maps ahead of the 2026 midterms. And Trump himself has publicly praised the efforts, urging Texas lawmakers to take actions that would help the GOP gain five House seats. Republicans currently control 25 of Texas' 38 congressional districts. The redistricting process typically occurs at the start of each new decade, when new census data is available. Texas' current maps were drawn in 2021, following the 2020 census, though they are still being fought over in court. The Republican effort in Texas has prompted some Democrats to fight back by threatening their own mid-decade redistricting schemes. Most prominently, Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender, has raised the idea of redrawing California's maps. But that effort would come with major obstacles: An independent commission controls the redistricting process in California, not the governor. On Thursday, Hochul entered the fray as well, responding to a question about redistricting in New York by saying: 'All's fair in love and war,' according to Politico. While not promising action, she added that she'd 'look at it closely with' House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. Elsewhere, Illinois' Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker responded to a question about whether his state should pursue redistricting to counterbalance Texas' push by accusing Republicans of trying to 'cheat' ahead of the midterms. And a spokesman for Maryland's Democratic Gov. Wes Moore told The New York Times this week he will 'continue to evaluate all options.' On the other side of the aisle, just days after the state Supreme Court upheld the state's newest congressional map, Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said that 'there may be more defects that need to be remedied.' He added that population shifts in the state since the census has led him to believe the state is 'malapportioned' and that it 'would be appropriate to do a redistricting here in the mid-decade.' And in Ohio, state lawmakers are required to draw new congressional maps before 2026 because their current lines passed without bipartisan support. Republicans control 10 of Ohio's 15 House seats. Other Democratic leaders at the NGA did not urge their party's fellow governors to move forward with their own redistricting plans. 'I would really call upon Texas Republicans to not yield to the temptation and to stick with the map that they themselves drew that benefits Republicans in the Texas delegation and continue with that until the normal redistricting period occurs at the end of the decade,' Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in an interview. In Colorado, like in California, redistricting efforts are overseen by an independent commission. Meanwhile, some Republicans at the NGA expressed displeasure with the redistricting threats from both parties. 'I'll be perfectly honest. I only think about it once every 10 years,' Utah GOP Gov. Spencer Cox said in an interview. 'Obviously, there's concerns about gerrymandering, and both sides are doing it — you know, nobody has clean hands.' 'I don't love it. I wish there was a better way. I wish there was a nonpartisan way. Lots of states have tried,' Cox added. Former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, a Republican, said he'd refuse to condemn Texas' efforts, even though he himself helped Colorado advance its own independent redistricting commission. 'So long as so many Democratic states still redistrict the old-fashioned way, so will Republican states. So I have no criticism for Texas, given that they're working within the same rules that have governed so many states — Democrats and Republicans — in the past,' Owens said. He added that his own approach, if he were still governor, 'would be to try to do redistricting in a bipartisan fashion.'
