The Iowa Senate has approved a bill that would extend the hours teenagers may work in Iowa and teens would be able to take some jobs they are not allowed to have today.
Debate on the bill started Monday night and it passed with the support of 32 Republicans early today. Two Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the legislation. Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls spoke right after the vote.
“It is almost five in the morning,” Wahls said, “and as we approach the dawn of a new day it has been a dark night in the Iowa Senate.”
Wahls said the bill rolls back protections that have kept children from being exploited in the workplace.
Sen. Adrian Dickey. (IA Legislature)
Senator Adrian Dickey, a Republican from Packwood, accused Democrats of being hypocrites. “If your outrage is because high school students are able to work until 11 p.m. in the summer, where’s your outrage all these years by not requiring high school students to be home and in bed by 11?” Dickey asked.
The bill would allow 16 and 17 year olds to serve alcohol if they have written permission from a parent, but minors would still be barred from working in strip clubs. Fourteen year olds would be able to be paid to do things like detassle corn and use chemicals to clean kitches or work momentarily in meat coolers. Senator Molly Donahue, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, said the bill is designed to get more kids from low income households in the workforce.
“How ’bout we ensure all kids have equal access to education and the opportunities to participate in their school activities, regardless of their backgrounds?” Donahue asked.
Dickey said Republicans are updating the law so eager teenagers can save money for college or a car rather than back a bill from Senate Democrats that would legalize recreational marijuana.
“That Democratic logic is why your party holds a 16-34 ‘super minority’ in this senate,” Dickey said.
The bill now goes to the House for consideration.