SB 416 -- CHILD LABOR

SPONSOR:  Stoll (Wagner)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Miscellaneous Bills and Resolutions by a vote of 9 to 0.

This bill requires employers employing children to record the
child's name, address, age, time and hours worked, and to keep
such records for 2 years.  Records are confidential and will be
released only upon court order.  When the Director of the
Division of Labor Standards brings a civil action against an
employer to enforce child labor laws, the director may consider
the size of the business and the absence of enumerated
aggravating factors in determining what amount of civil damages
is appropriate to request.  The bill also makes technical
changes to child labor laws.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill clarifies several
sections of child labor law, including the state fair exemption,
and attempts to prevent the exploitation of children for
door-to-door sales.

Testifying for the bill were Senator Stoll; and Representative
Bartlesmeyer.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that several
provisions of the law should not be changed:  the provision that
allows children to work with the parents' consent and the
provision that requires the Director of the Department of Labor
and Industrial Relations to use enumerated factors to justify
the amount of civil damages requested in a suit against an
employer violating child labor laws.

Testifying against the bill was Associated Industries of
Missouri.

Donna Schlosser, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:47 am