Committee backs bill to protect child performers; restores social media influencers and sets monetary trigger

The House Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce voted to pass House Bill 874 with amendments that would expand protections for child performers and restore social media influencers to the definition of theatrical employment, while adding a monetary trigger so trust‑account protections apply only when earnings exceed specified thresholds.

SAG‑AFTRA Hawaii’s executive director, Marisha Palma Elmore, told the committee the union supports the bill and emphasized protections for minors’ pay and long‑term stability. "We're the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. We're standing on our written testimony in support," Palma Elmore said.

Testimony from performers underscored practical concerns. Actress Shereen Ballas testified she has seen children waiting in holding areas and said protections are needed so that earnings can be preserved for minors when they reach adulthood. "I have 4 children, and it's important that these children are supported ... so they can actually utilize the earnings that they make when they are acting," Ballas said.

Committee discussion focused on how to balance protections with burdens for families doing small, ad‑hoc projects and how to treat social media earnings. Members debated a per‑job trigger and an annual limit; during the hearing the chair proposed adding language that would require trust‑account protections either when a single job earns $5,000 or more or when a minor earns $20,000 or more in a calendar year. Several witnesses and committee members supported the idea of a trigger to avoid imposing trust‑account costs on very small earnings.

What the committee did: The committee adopted amendments to add social media influencers back into the bill’s definition of theatrical employment and to add a monetary trigger (the chair proposed $5,000 per job or $20,000 per year) for trust account protections. The committee’s recommendation to pass HB 874 with amendments was adopted in the decision‑making vote.

Discussion vs. decision: Testimony and back‑and‑forth questions clarified that (a) some stakeholders want the broader set of protections (including schooling and hours) for minors working in union productions, (b) social media performers can earn significant sums but may not currently have the same labor protections as union minors, and (c) the committee sought a narrowly targeted financial trigger to avoid unfair burdens on very small projects.

Next steps: HB 874 will move forward with the committee’s adopted amendments; the committee asked that the committee report note the DLIR’s jurisdictional suggestion to place the measure in HRS chapter 554B for statutory fit and to consult the attorney general as needed.

Ending note: The bill’s amended approach attempts to balance protecting minors’ earnings with avoiding undue regulatory or financial burdens for small‑scale productions and family‑led projects.