Senate committee hears bill to tighten penalties, site checks for employers of minors

Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1644, a measure that would revise penalties and enforcement for employment of minors and require workplace consultations before student-learner variances, was read into the record and received extended testimony before the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee on Oct. 12.

Supporters said the bill modernizes child-labor enforcement after recent increases in youth workplace injuries. Representative Mary Fosse, prime sponsor, told the committee that “we really want kids to have these experiences and these opportunities, but we want to make sure that they're safe,” and cited Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) data that youth injuries rose from 750 in 2023 to 869 in 2024.

The bill would standardize penalties for minor-employment violations, ranging from $100 for recordkeeping and minor permit failures to larger civil penalties for serious or repeated violations, and would set an upper penalty of $271,000 for violations resulting in serious…