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How would plan to change Iowa’s child labor laws impact teenage workers?

How would plan to change Iowa’s child labor laws impact teenage workers?
CHARGES. NEW AT FIVE. IT WAS A VERY LATE NIGHT FOR LAWMAKERS AT THE IOWA STATE HOUSE. TAKE A LOOK. vlog WAS THERE AT 5:00 THIS MORNING AS BLEARY EYED LAWMAKER HOURS WALKED OUT AFTER A MARATHON SESSION ON THE SENATE FLOOR. AN ARGUMENT OVER CHILD LABOR LAWS WAS DRIVING THAT DEBATE. AND CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER IS LIVE AT THE STATE HOUSE TODAY WHERE THAT BILL EVENTUALLY DID PASS. AMANDA STACEY HORST SCOTT, IT WAS A LONG NIGHT AT THE STATE HOUSE, AS YOU MENTIONED, AFTER A LONG, INTENSE DEBATE. THE SENATE DID VOTE ON A BILL THAT WOULD CHANGE IOWA’S CHILD LABOR LAWS. JUST BEFORE 5 A.M. THIS MORNING. NOW, SUPPORTERS OF THIS BILL SAY THAT IT IS A NEEDED UPDATE TO IOWA LAW THAT GIVES KIDS MORE OPPORTUNITY. BUT OPPONENTS CALL THIS BILL DANGEROUS AND IRRESPONSIBLE. SO WE’RE KIND OF HEARING A LOT OF FEEDBACK ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES AS VICE PRESIDENT OF A HEALTH CARE AGENCY. MARCY STROUSE WORKS WITH BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STATE. OUR EMPLOYERS NEED MORE WORKERS. BUT AS A COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATE, SHE’S ALSO SEEN TEENAGERS STRUGGLE TO FIND A JOB. ONE OF THE KIDS LAST YEAR TURNED 14. HE COULD NOT EVEN GET A CALLBACK BECAUSE OF HIS AGE. AND SO WHEN HE WOULD CLL TO FOLLOW UP, A LOT OF IT WAS AROUND, WELL, YOUR HOURS ARE SO RESTRICTED, WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN WHEN WE’RE SCHEDULING. STRAUSS ARGUES THAT’S A PROBLEM THIS BILL WOULD SOLVE BY ALLOWING TEENS TO WORK MORE HOURS A DAY. KIDS UNDER 16 WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK 6 HOURS A DAY INSTEAD OF FOUR. AND 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK THE SAME HOURS AS ADULTS. JESSICA DUNKER WITH THE IOWA RESTAURANTS ASSOCIATION ARGUES THOSE CHANGES WILL HELP BUSINESSES AND IOWA TEENS. THE SENTIMENT BEHIND THESE CHANGES WAS ALWAYS TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEENAGERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO WORK. THE BILL WOULD ALSO ALLOW KIDS TO WORK LATER INSTEAD OF HAVING TO STOP AT 7 P.M. KIDS UNDER 16 COULD WORK UNTIL 9 P.M. DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND 11 P.M. IN THE SUMMER. PROBABLY NEEDS A CLEAN. BUT CHARLIE WICHMANN, PRESIDENT OF THE IOWA FEDERATION OF LABOR, ARGUES THOSE CHANGES ARE BAD FOR IOWA TEENAGERS. ONCE YOU GET OVER ABOUT 20 HOURS A WEEK, THAT’S WHEN KIDS GRADES START TO DROP. THAT’S WHEN KIDS START DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL. THAT’S WHEN TEST SCORES DROP. HE ALSO WORRIES THE BILL COULD PUT KIDS IN DANGER. IT STILL DOES ALLOW KIDS TO WORK IN ASSEMBLY. IT STILL ALLOWS KIDS TO BE WORKING IN FACTORIES WHERE THERE ARE EXPLOSIVES. THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF DANGEROUS OCCUPATIONS OUT THERE. THE KIDS ARE NOW GOING TO BE ALLOWED INTO. DEMOCRATS BROUGHT THOSE CONCERNS TO THE SENATE FLOOR, BUT REPUBLICANS ARGUE THE BILL DOES HAVE SAFETY REGULATIONS. THE BILL STILL NEEDS HOUSE APPROVAL BEFORE IT COULD BECOME LAW. NOW, ANOTHER MAJOR CHANGE THAT THIS BILL WOULD MAKE, IT WOULD ALLOW 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS TO SERVE ALCOHOL IN RESTAURANTS, BUT NOT IN BARS. NOW, THIS BILL DID PASS THE SENATE WITH 32 REPUBLICANS VOTING YES. TWO REPUBLICANS DID JOIN ALL DEMOCRATS IN VOTING NO. SCOTT AND AMANDA, THIS WAS A VERY LONG DEBATE. WHAT EXACTLY KEPT LAWMAKERS AT THE CAPITOL ALL NIGHT? WELL, SCOTT, THERE WAS CLASHING OVER THE CONTENT OF THIS BILL, BUT THERE WAS ALSO CLASHING OVER PROCEDURE. PART OF THAT DELAY CAME WHEN A REPUBLICAN REFUSED TO ANSWER A QUESTION FROM A DEMOCRAT ABOUT AN AMENDMENT TO THE BILL AFTER THAT HAPPENED. DEMOCRATS LEFT TO GO TO A PRIVATE MEETING WHEN THEY CAME BACK. REPUBLICANS REFUSED TO ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS. NOW LAWMAKERS AREN’T LEGALLY REQUIRED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT THEY USUALLY DO. SENATE REPUBLICANS CITED A RECENT IOWA SUPREME COURT RULING ARGUING THAT ANY ENACTED INFORMATION LAWMAKERS SAY DURING DEBATE ABOUT LEGISLATIVE INTENT MIGHT NOW BE USED IN COURT TO
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How would plan to change Iowa’s child labor laws impact teenage workers?
After an overnight session at the Iowa Statehouse, state senators came out of session at 5 a.m. Tuesday.During the session, senators passed SF 542 in a 32-17 vote. The bill would make changes to child labor laws in the state. Supporters of the plan argue it modernizes Iowa law and gives kids more opportunities. Opponents call the plan dangerous, saying it would weaken child labor laws and endanger children. "Our employers need more workers," said Marcie Strouse with the Capitol Benefits Group.Strouse is a court-appointed special advocate who said she's seen teenagers struggle to find a job."One of the kids last year turned 14. He could not even get a call back because of his age. And so, when he would call to follow up, a lot of it was around, 'Well, your hours are so restricted, we really need to have more flexibility in when we’re scheduling,'" Strouse said.Strouse argues that the bill will solve scheduling issues with employers by allowing teenagers to work more hours a day. Currently, children under 16 are allowed to work four hours a day. If the bill is signed into law, children under 16 would be able to work six hours a day and 16 and 17-year-olds would be able to work the same hours as adults.The bill would also allow kids to work later. Currently, children under 16 must stop working at 7 p.m. If the bill is signed into law, children under 16 would be able to work until 9 p.m. during the school year and 11 p.m. in the summer.Jessica Dunker with the Iowa Restaurant Association argues that the changes in the bill will help businesses and teenagers."The sentiment behind these changes was always to expand opportunities for teenagers who are looking to work," Dunker said. Charlie Wishman, president of the Iowa Federation of Labor, argues that the changes proposed in the bill are bad for Iowa teenagers."Once you get over about 20 hours a week, that’s when kids' grades start to drop. That’s when kids start dropping out of school. That’s when test scores drop," Wishman said.Wishman also believes the bill could put kids in danger." still does allow kids to work in assembly. It still allows kids to be working in factories where there are explosives. There are still plenty of dangerous occupations out there that kids are now allowed to go into."Democrats brought those concerns to the Senate floor, but Republicans argue the bill does have safety regulations. The bill still needs House approval before it could become law.

After an overnight session at the Iowa Statehouse, state senators came out of session at 5 a.m. Tuesday.

During the session, senators passed in a 32-17 vote. The bill would make changes to child labor laws in the state.

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Supporters of the plan argue it modernizes Iowa law and gives kids more opportunities. Opponents call the plan dangerous, saying it would weaken child labor laws and endanger children.

"Our employers need more workers," said Marcie Strouse with the Capitol Benefits Group.

Strouse is a court-appointed special advocate who said she's seen teenagers struggle to find a job.

"One of the kids last year turned 14. He could not even get a call back because of his age. And so, when he would call to follow up, a lot of it was around, 'Well, your hours are so restricted, we really need to have more flexibility in when we’re scheduling,'" Strouse said.

Strouse argues that the bill will solve scheduling issues with employers by allowing teenagers to work more hours a day. Currently, children under 16 are allowed to work four hours a day. If the bill is signed into law, children under 16 would be able to work six hours a day and 16 and 17-year-olds would be able to work the same hours as adults.

The bill would also allow kids to work later. Currently, children under 16 must stop working at 7 p.m. If the bill is signed into law, children under 16 would be able to work until 9 p.m. during the school year and 11 p.m. in the summer.

Jessica Dunker with the Iowa Restaurant Association argues that the changes in the bill will help businesses and teenagers.

"The sentiment behind these changes was always to expand opportunities for teenagers who are looking to work," Dunker said.

Charlie Wishman, president of the Iowa Federation of Labor, argues that the changes proposed in the bill are bad for Iowa teenagers.

"Once you get over about 20 hours a week, that’s when kids' grades start to drop. That’s when kids start dropping out of school. That’s when test scores drop," Wishman said.

Wishman also believes the bill could put kids in danger.

"[The bill] still does allow kids to work in assembly. It still allows kids to be working in factories where there are explosives. There are still plenty of dangerous occupations out there that kids are now allowed to go into."

Democrats brought those concerns to the Senate floor, but Republicans argue the bill does have safety regulations.

The bill still needs House approval before it could become law.