Alabama public schools are a step closer to having a required 12-week summer vacation.
Gov. Robert Bentley today objected to a lawmaker-approved bill that would mandate summer break dates for public schools, saying school systems should be able to set their own schedules.
Bentley returned the bill to lawmakers without his signature and with a suggested executive amendment to give school systems the ability to opt out of the set schedule. However, the House of Representatives tonight voted 71-21 to override the governor's veto.
Alabama senators must now decide what to do on the issue.
"It's been very popular with teachers. It's been very popular with families. Just a tremendous amount of support to turn your back on that," said Rep. Randy Davis, the Daphne Republican who sponsored the bill.
House Bill 360 would mandate that, for the next two years, school start no more than two weeks before Labor Day and end by the Friday before Memorial Day. It also would give school districts new flexibility. Instead of a 180-day school year, districts would be required to have a 1,080-hour school year.
Davis said the bill would boost summer tourism and mean fewer school days in the summer heat, which would save school systems on transportation and air-conditioning costs.
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