Child Labor Law Passes
Teen work permits without parental okay approved. Will Walker sign it?
Governor Walker delivers remarks at Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce’s Business Day in Madison, 2013. Photo from the State of Wisconsin.
The GOP-controlled legislature has given final approval and sent to Republican Gov. Scott Walker a bill that would loosen child labor laws.
Assembly Bill 25 removes the requirement for 16- and 17-year-olds to obtain permits signed by a parent or guardian in order to work. The measure was approved on a party line 20-12 vote on Wednesday in the Senate after passing the Assembly last week.
AB25 drew support from tourism and business groups and opposition from the state AFL-CIO.
Support for the bill was led by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), the state’s largest business group, which has spent more than $18.6 million since 2010 on undisclosed, outside electioneering activities to support Republican and conservative legislative and statewide candidates.
In addition to outside spending to influence elections, more than a dozen other influential special interests represented by WMC, including tourism and business, contributed $16.7 million to current GOP legislators and $33.2 million to Walker between January 2011 and December 2016.
In 2011, Walker signed into law a provision in the 2011-13 state budget which eliminated restrictions on 16- and 17-year-olds working more than 26 hours during a school week and more than 50 hours a week during vacations.
