STATE VS. FEDERAL LEGISLATION
SARAH HIOTT | NOVEMBER 6, 2020 | OPINIONS
As media coverage has spotlighted federal issues like the presidential election, Americans have been focused on national events rather than state events. Because of this, state laws tend to be overlooked by politically-conscious American teenagers. However, the state legislature has more importance to teenagers than the federal legislature. Where federal laws have a tendency to handle broader policy, state laws have a greater impact on teens as they address the direct issues facing them on a daily basis.
With more emphasis on federal legislation than state legislation, it is easy for teens to fail to notice the impact of their own state’s laws. However, it is necessary for teens to know these laws since these are the ones directly affecting them. As new laws pertaining to minors are passed, it should be a goal for teenagers to know what is affecting their lives on the state level as well. Without being informed about changes on the state level, teenagers will not truly be up to date on the laws involving them.
State governments make changes to their legislation based on the immediate conditions facing its citizens. The federal level of legislation differs in that several laws have been established for decades and are therefore outdated. While some of these laws affect young adults, like the Fair Labor Standards Act which sets requirements for child labor and prohibits unhealthy workplaces for minors, it remains broad and nonspecific. It is true this law affects teenagers, but the needs of minors have changed in the past century, causing new, time specific laws at the state level. Title XXXI of the Florida Constitution states specific requirements for minors to be able to work. Chapter 450 of the law includes various limitations for minors of particular ages, protecting teens from long hours and taxing work. A law like this is more specific than the Fair Labor Standards Act and is more up to date than a century-old national law.
Education standards for teens are also handled on the state level. The Florida Constitution’s Title XLVII contains the official requirements for the public educational system and the establishment of the state education boards. Public schools are based on education laws and function in accordance. The state judicial branch has jurisdiction over the state board of education and the general policies of public schools. According to the Florida Constitution, the state is able to decide student conduct policies, parental involvement in schools, and basic operations. These chapters of the public education law decide how schools function, what services are available for students, and the funding regulations for public schools. Federal education laws, like the Every Student Succeeds Act, are broader than state laws and focus more on student protections and school standards. Laws like these are not specific for students and do not establish a foundation for schools like state laws do.
The state and federal levels of legislation both impact U.S. teenagers, but state laws have considerably more impact than federal laws on minors. State legislation focuses on specific, localized issues, and are inherently more applicable to teens. Teenagers in the U.S. should be looking at the state laws in order to be aware of what is changing on a state level, or they will not be properly informed on the alterations in the state that are largely impacting them.