Hawaii Senate Bill SR102

Hawaii 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/10/23
• Refer: 3/15/23

Caption

Ratifying A Proposed Amendment To The Constitution Of The United States Giving The Congress Of The United States Power To Limit, Regulate, And Prohibit The Labor Of Persons Under Eighteen Years Of Age.

Impact

If ratified, this constitutional amendment would empower Congress to create uniform regulations regarding child labor across all states, thereby ensuring a consistent legal framework for protecting children in the workforce. At present, child labor laws are primarily administered at the state level, which can result in significant discrepancies in protections afforded to minors. By ratifying the proposed amendment, Hawaii joins an initiative seeking to eliminate such inconsistencies and strengthen labor protections for youth nationwide.

Summary

Senate Resolution 102, introduced in the Thirty-Second Legislature of Hawaii in 2023, seeks to ratify a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. This amendment aims to grant Congress the authority to limit, regulate, and prohibit labor for individuals under the age of eighteen. The resolution recalls historical attempts to address child labor in the United States, referencing early legislative efforts like the Keating-Owen Act of 1916 and subsequent federal bills that faced judicial challenges regarding their constitutional validity. The backdrop of child labor's negative impacts on health and welfare is central to the resolution's argument, emphasizing the necessity for federal regulation.

Contention

Historical context reveals that efforts to regulate child labor at the federal level have been contentious, with previous attempts being deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Critics of the amendment may argue that it represents an overreach by the federal government into matters traditionally managed at the state level. Additionally, debates surrounding child labor often intersect with issues of states' rights and workforce economics, raising concerns among those who fear that federal intervention could undermine local autonomy in labor matters.