An extra half-hour or more of sleep in the morning could be a realty for New Jersey's high school students if legislation introduced last week gains enough support.

The bill calls for a later start time for the school day to boost mental health and wellness among teenagers, said its sponsors, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, and Sen. Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth, chair of the Education Committee.

The bill calls for a start time of 8:30 a.m. or later. Currently, most state high schools have a starting time between 7:20 and 7:40 a.m.