2005 House Bill 4803 (Ban school year starting before Labor Day )

Legislation watch

Public Act 144 of 2005

[Comments on this legislation] [Post new comment] [Text and Analysis] [Add to Watch List]
[Previous] [Next]

Introduced by Rep. Edward Gaffney (R) on May 17, 2005, to prohibit public schools from starting the school year before Labor Day.
- Referred to the House Natural Resources, Great Lakes, Land Use, and Environment Committee on May 17, 2005.
  - Reported in the House on June 23, 2005, without amendment and with the recommendation that the bill pass.
Passed in the House (69 to 40) on June 30, 2005. [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the Senate on August 31, 2005.
- Referred to the Senate Economic Development, Small Business and Regulatory Reform Committee on August 31, 2005.
  - Reported in the Senate on September 20, 2005, with the recommendation that the bill pass.
- Amendment offered in the Senate on September 20, 2005, to exempt schools that operate a year-round school or program from pre-Labor Day ban, and require the state Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish standards for what constitutes a "bona fide year round school or program". The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on September 20, 2005.
Passed in the Senate (21 to 17) on September 20, 2005, to prohibit public schools from starting the school year before Labor Day. Year-round schools would be exempt. [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the House on September 20, 2005.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Shelley Goodman Taub (R) on September 20, 2005, to exempt a public school that is an "international baccalaureate academy" from the pre-Labor Day ban. This would apply to a school in Bloomfield Hills. The amendment passed in the House (57 to 50) on September 20, 2005. [Vote Details and Comments]
Passed in the House (66 to 43) on September 20, 2005, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the Senate on September 21, 2005, to concur with the House-passed amendment to the bill, which clarifies a year-round school exemption. Passed in the Senate (25 to 13) on September 21, 2005. [Vote Details and Comments]
Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on September 29, 2005.

Most Recent Comments

Add Comment

1) Ugh! [by Anonymous Citizen on August 23, 2008]
The bill states that schools can not start until after Labor Day unless they are a year round school. It doesn't say anything about going to a year round program (at least I didn't see it when I skimmed over the wording). Furthermore, Year round doesn't mean spending more time in school, it just means getting your time off spread out more. I have a friend who teaches in NC in a year round school, and they go for 9 weeks, and then have 3 off, back for 9, then 3 more off, etc. There are blocks (I think 2 weeks long or so) at Christmas/New year, and in the summer (june or july I think) that everyone gets off. It's not like you would never get another break from school again...
Reply

Line

2) Year Round Schooling [by Anonymous Citizen on June 2, 2008]
That is ABSURD! Year Round Schooling is just madness! I am a student, and having school year round would just cram us even more with our schedules. I bet, so many people would get fed up with it that they would skip school. This idea is no good!
Reply

Line

3) You Also Could [by Anonymous Citizen on April 11, 2008]
be a candidate for year round school. Go reread your post and if you're past the fourth grade there is a problem.
Reply

Line

View Full Conversation