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Maine AFL-CIO

Legislative Scorecard

LD 559 - Child Labor

(2023)

An Act to Increase the Number of Hours Certain Minor Students May Work Under Certain Circumstances

LD 559 bill text Maine AFL-CIO Opposed

Sponsored by Representative Danny Costain

What is the bill?

Maine has a nearly two hundred year history of child labor laws that prioritize young people’s education while also encouraging work. Current Maine law allows teenagers aged 16 to 18 to work up to 24 hours a week when school is in session, including until 10:15 pm on school nights. LD 559 tried to weaken Maine’s child labor laws by allowing students to work 32 hours a week when school is in session. Young people are injured on the job more often than others due to inexperience, improper training and using equipment designed for adults. Longer hours in the workplace for young people leads to more injuries and makes it more difficult for them to succeed in school.

What happened?

Defeated

Votes

Senate

21 Pro-labor 10 Anti-labor

House

72 Pro-labor 67 Anti-labor