BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1324 By: Romo (Gallegos) Economic Development 05-18-95 Senate Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, youths under the age of 14 are recruited to sell or solicit donations. This employment practice may contribute to children's school work suffering because of long hours. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 1324 creates an offense for a person who employs or encourages a child under 14 years of age to solicit donations or sell items for an entity other than an exempt organization. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 22, Penal Code, by adding Section 22.11, as follows: Sec. 22.11. PERMITTING CHILD TO SELL OR SOLICIT DONATIONS. (a) Provides that a person commits an offense if the person employs, authorizes, induces, or permits a child younger than 14 years of age who is unaccompanied by a parent, conservator, guardian, or other person having possession of the child under a court order to sell items or services for or solicit donations for any individual or entity other than an exempt organization or a business owned or operated by a parent, conservator, guardian, or other person who has possession of the child under a court order. (b) Defines "exempt organization." (c) Provides that an offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor. (d) Provides that it is an exception to the application of Subsection (a) that the child was selling items or services as a self-employed person with the consent of a parent, conservator, guardian, or other person having possession of the child under a court order. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1995. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.