H.B. No. 2930
AN ACT
relating to an age limitation on children engaged in the
performance of duties related to a paper route.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 51.002, Labor Code, is amended to read as
follows:
Sec. 51.002. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Child" means an individual under 18 years of age.
(2) "Commission" means the Texas Workforce
[Employment] Commission.
(3) "Delivery of newspapers" means the distribution of
newspapers on or the maintenance of a newspaper route. The term
does not include direct sales of newspapers to the general public.
SECTION 2. Section 51.003, Labor Code, is amended to read as
follows:
Sec. 51.003. GENERAL EXEMPTIONS. (a) This chapter does not
apply to employment of a child:
(1) employed [in a]:
(A) in a nonhazardous occupation;
(B) under the direct supervision of the child's
parent or an adult having custody of the child; and
(C) in a business or enterprise owned or operated
by the parent or custodian;
(2) 11 years or older engaged in delivery of
newspapers to the consumer;
(3) participating in a school-supervised and
school-administered work-study program approved by the commission;
(4) employed in agriculture during a period when the
child is not legally required to be attending school;
(5) employed through a rehabilitation program
supervised by a county judge; or
(6) engaged in nonhazardous casual employment that
will not endanger the safety, health, or well-being of the child and
to which the parent or adult having custody of the child has
consented.
(b) In this section, "employment in agriculture" means
engaged in producing crops or livestock and includes:
(1) cultivating and tilling the soil;
(2) producing, cultivating, growing, and harvesting
an agricultural or horticultural commodity;
(3) dairying; and
(4) raising livestock, bees, fur-bearing animals, or
poultry.
(c) For the purposes of Subsection (a)(6), the commission by
rule may define nonhazardous casual employment that the commission
determines is dangerous to the safety, health, or well-being of a
child.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2930 was passed by the House on April
27, 2005, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2930 was passed by the Senate on May
19, 2005, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor