The Michigan House of Representatives voted to loosen the state’s child labor laws Wednesday as current law has pending requirements waiting to take effect.
The bill would get rid of both the current school-issued work permits and the state-issued permits set to go into place in October.
Republican state Representative Mike Hoadley says the bill cuts red tape while keeping youth work protections in place.
“House Bill 5727 reduces administrative burdens on families, schools, and small businesses.”
But Democratic Representative Phil Skaggs, who sponsored the law to require state-issued work permits, accuses the bill of leaving teens’ workplace safety to “hope.”
“Hope is not oversight and blind trust is not accountability. Our children deserve better.”
The bill now goes to the Democratic-controlled Michigan Senate which will probably resist the effort to undo the work permit law it passed last term.
House votes to get rid of minor work permit system
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