In an effort to prevent schools from starting before 8:30 a.m., Governor Jerry Brown rejected a bill Thursday that was previously passed by the California legislature.

Brown explained his opposition to the “one-size-fits-all” approach of Senate Bill 328 in a statement he released after striking down the bill.

“Several schools have already moved to a later start time, others prefer beginning the school day earlier,” Brown said. “These are the types of decisions best handled in the local community.”

Proponents for the bill cite studies that indicate students learn better later in the morning, according to officials.

“This bill would require the school day for middle schools and high schools, including those operated as charter schools, to begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m. by July 1, 2021, or the date on which a school district’s collective bargaining agreement that is operative on January 1, 2019, expires, whichever is later,” the bill reads.

Assemblyman Lackey, R-Palmdale, Assemblyman Acosta, R-Santa Clarita, and State Senator Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, all voted no on SB 328.

State Senator Henry Stern, R-Canoga Park, abstained.

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“I think Gov. Brown did the right thing,” said Wilk. “We have local elected school boards to make decisions on these issues.”

Several school groups, including Santa Clarita education officials, opposed the bill, which would have given control of school start times to the state.

“Whenever possible, local control should be maintained,” said Acosta. “SB 328 was not a good bill. I voted no, I’m glad the governor agreed with me.”

The bill would have been extremely problematic for the Williams S. Hart Union School District, as some classes in the district start before 7 a.m., according to Steve Sturgeon, president for the Hart School Board.

“We (the Hart District) are very pleased that the Governor chose to veto this bill,” said Sturgeon. “The potential impact across the district would have caused some significant issues with class schedules and the extracurricular and co-curricular activities for our students.”

Sturgeon said that the Hart School Board coordinates with the elementary, middle, and high schools in the Santa Clarita Valley in order to determine starting times for classes.

“Our district has exemplified academic and athletic excellence with our current school schedules and we have been able to work with the elementary districts to deal with traffic issues and as well as parent timeline for student drop off and pickup at each campus,” said Sturgeon.

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