Wisconsin Assembly to consider eliminating work permit requirement for 14- and 15-year-olds

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — More Wisconsin teenagers would be able to find jobs without obtaining state work permits under a Republican-authored bill the state Assembly was expected to approve Tuesday.

Former Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill in 2017 that eliminated work permit requirements for 16- and 17-year-olds. The new bill eliminates the requirement for 14- and 15-year-olds.

The proposal doesn’t change state law governing how many hours minors can work or prohibiting them from working dangerous jobs.

The proposal comes amid a wider push by state lawmakers to roll back child labor laws and despite the efforts of federal investigators to crack down on a surge in child labor violations nationally.

The bill would cost the state about $216,000 in revenue annually from lost permit fees and eliminate the state Department of Workforce’s only means of gathering child labor data, according to a fiscal estimate from the agency.

But supporters say the measure eliminates red tape for both employers and teenage job applicants.

The Assembly was scheduled to take up the bill during a floor session set to begin Tuesday afternoon. Approval would sending it on to the state Senate. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers will likely veto the measure if it reaches his desk; Evers vetoed a bill in 2022 that would have allowed 14- and 15-year-olds to work longer summer hours.

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