California State Senate Approves SB 328 Landmark School Start Time Bill Heads to the State Assembly

Wednesday, May 31 2017

Sacramento, CA – Last evening, Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) presented SB 328 on the floor of the California State Senate. The bill requires middle schools and high schools in California to start the school day no earlier than 8:30 a.m. SB 328 is based on recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control for the optimal time to start school for improved public health of teenage students.  SB 328 passed the State Senate and is moving on to the State Assembly.   This is believed to be the first time a school start time bill of this nature has passed any legislative house in the country.

“Wow, my colleagues in the Senate are amazing!  They have embraced this idea and the research behind it.  I am very proud to see such an important public health bill moving to the State Assembly.  The best interest of our children needs to come first and by passing this legislation, the State Senate sends a strong message that it believes in that mission.  There are nearly 400 school districts around the country that have gone to a late start and each has seen tremendous health and academic benefits for their children after making the move," commented Portantino.

SB 328 is supported by The American Academy of Pediatrics, California State PTA, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, California Federation of Teachers, California Sleep Society, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Educate.Advocate., High School Parent Engagement Group, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Loyola University Maryland, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, Manhattan Beach Unified School District, Public Advocates, Stanford University School of Medicine, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Stony Brook Medicine Program in Public Health, University of Washington – Department of Biology, and numerous individuals.

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Sen. Portantino represents nearly 930,000 people in the 25th Senate District, which includes Altadena, Atwater Village, Bradbury, Burbank, Claremont, Duarte, Glendale, Glendora, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Lake View Terrace, La Verne, Los Feliz, Monrovia, Montrose, Pasadena, San Dimas, San Marino, Shadow Hills, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, Sunland-Tujunga, and Upland.