Senate committee clears bill allowing high school students to volunteer at polling places

Senator Yarbrough presented Senate Bill 564 to allow Florida high school students who are registered or preregistered to vote to volunteer at polling locations and receive community service credit. The sponsor said the bill revises existing prohibitions on private funding for election-related expenses by clarifying that volunteer service by students is permissible.

A timely-filed amendment (barcode 861108) clarified that hours may count toward high-school graduation or postsecondary financial aid as appropriate and removed ambiguity about application of community service hours. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

Senators pressed for clarity on whether students could be paid; Senator Yarbrough and other committee members said the intent is for volunteering and not to conflict with scholarship rules that require volunteer hours. President Gates asked whether the bill would trump scholarship or other requirements; the sponsor said the intent is not to conflict with existing requirements and to preserve volunteer status where required.

Jerry Holland, Duval County Supervisor of Elections, testified that the idea grew from wanting civic experience for students and to allow them to volunteer during weekend early voting without having to meet paid-worker prerequisites; he said students would receive training credit and community-service hours. Jasmine Bernie Clark of Equal Ground Action Fund said the bill clarifies that high-school volunteers are not donors and that it supports nonpartisan civic engagement while protecting election administration integrity.

The committee reported CS for SB 564 favorably on the roll call recorded in the meeting; sponsor and supporters said the bill is intended to expand youth civic engagement without weakening election neutrality.