BILL ANALYSIS
By: Deshotel
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Chapter 51 of the Labor Code includes an exception to the child labor age restriction so that children may lawfully deliver newspapers. As times have changed, children selling newspapers are now sometimes placed in dangerous situations. Recently, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has investigated two incidents where very young children were hit by cars as they sold newspapers from the medians of busy intersections. Because the employer is not in violation of any child labor laws, the TWC cannot take action to protect these children.
House Bill 2930 would change Labor Code statutes concerning newspaper routes and sales by children to increase their safety. It would redefine “delivery” so that the term only includes distribution or maintenance of a newspaper route, as well as to require that juveniles be at least 11 years of age in order to service a newspaper route.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the opinion of the committee that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Adds to Section 51.002, Labor Code, a definition of “delivery” that stipulates the distribution or maintenance of a paper route.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 51.003, Labor Code, to require that children engaged in newspaper delivery are at least 11 years old.
SECTION 3. Effective Date
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage or, if the Act does not receive the necessary super-majority vote, it instead takes effect September 1, 2005.