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House committee advances measure asking Congress to loosen teen work-hour limits; advocates warn of educational and safety risks

House Commerce and Labor Committee · February 18, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

The House Commerce and Labor Committee voted to favorably report Senate Concurrent Resolution 3 and Senate Bill 50, which would ask Congress to change federal limits allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to work later on school nights. Child-advocacy groups and worker centers told the committee the change risks students' education, safety and increased exploitation.

The House Commerce and Labor Committee voted to favorably report Senate Concurrent Resolution 3 and Senate Bill 50 after testimony and debate that split advocates and some members.

Advocates for children urged the committee to reject the bills, saying they would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work later on school nights and could harm educational outcomes. "Put very simply, children should not have to be the solution to adult problems," Brianna Booker, a policy associate with the Children's Defense Fund of Ohio, told the committee in opposition to SCR 3 and SB 50.

Heather Smith, a researcher with Policy Matters Ohio, said SB 50 would permit…

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