A bill package getting a hearing Tuesday before the Michigan Senate Labor Committee would create more oversight of child labor in the state.
The bills would create a centralized state registry of children in the workforce rather than relying on each school district to keep track. The package would also toughen penalties for having kids work in unsafe conditions.
This isn’t the first time lawmakers have tried to update Michigan’s child labor laws since a New York Times investigation revealed extreme cases in West Michigan.
House bills to add more teeth to the state’s child labor laws have been before the full chamber for almost a year. And another to create a centralized way to monitor children in the workforce received a committee hearing in May but haven't seen action since.
Opponents to those efforts say they could overcomplicate the child work permitting process.
The hearing on the Senate version of those bills is today at 2:30 p.m.
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