From David Sorensen, House GOP Communications Director:
Popular bill to let teens work in bowling alleys, theaters shot down by nanny-staters in House
AUGUSTA – A bill introduced by the Department of Labor with the support of the Maine School Management Association to expand work opportunities for high school students was rejected with a party line vote of 85-58 in the Maine House on Wednesday morning. Not a single party testified in opposition to the bill during its public hearing before the labor committee.
The bill, LD 1698, would simply allow teens to work in movie theaters and bowling alleys while streamlining work permitting rules between MSMA and the Department of Labor to speed up the permitting process.
It is unclear why Maine has restricted teens’ summer job opportunities in this manner, as 47 states allow minors to work in theaters and 44 allow them to work in bowling alleys.
“There seems to be no limit to the extent to which Democrats are willing to step into people’s homes and do their parenting for them,” said Rep. Amy Volk (R-Scarborough), ranking House Republican on the Labor, Commerce, Research, and Economic Development (LCRED) Committee and mother of three high school- and college-age children. “I don’t know a single parent who would have a problem with their teen working in a theater or a bowling alley in the summer, but I was surrounded by 85 liberal politicians who do.”
Rep. Lawrence Lockman (R-Amherst) sponsored the bill on behalf of the Department of Labor. Two students, Ben Evansand Judah Merrill, testified in favor of the bill before LCRED, saying that they have had to wait well into the summer to receive their work permits due to delays that would be remedied by LD 1698.
Assistant House Republican Leader Alex Willette (R-Mapelton) is one of the youngest members of the House.
“At 24, I have recent experience with Maine’s cumbersome summer work permitting process, and definitely see the need for this bill,” said Rep. Willette. “I never worked in a theater or a bowling alley, but was shocked to find out it’s currently not allowed, and even more shocked to see Democrats refuse to change that.”
The bill will now move to the Senate for votes.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="8339 http://www.themainewire.com/?p=8339">8 Comments
What is the law now? I know from experience (my son) that a 15 year old cannot, but does that also include 16 year olds? He will be heartbroken and the manager has been holding his job for 3 months. He’s only got two weeks to go until his 16th birthday…. Anyone have any info?
This is a legacy of a century ago when movie projection was *dangerous* — they were using nitroglycerine-based film and not “safety film (look at your old negatives and they say the latter) — movies exploded and projection booth fires were not uncommon. That’s why building codes TO THIS DAY require an enclosed “fireproof” projection booth — and it was a serious issue back then. Bowling Alleys were places children shouldn’t be — smoking, spitting tobacco, gambling, prostitution and alcohol consumption — I believe some bowling alleys in Maine *still* serve beer, and you have to be 18 to serve it.
I suggest that it is time to call the Democrats out on being luddities — working on a log drive is something children shouldn’t do but there hasn’t been one of those since 1975…
why would they allow teenagers to work, when they oppose work for anyone regardless of age? now if a bill was introduced allowing teenagers to apply for welfare benefits, they would pass that with full support
No wonder teens have little or no work ethic, let parents decide where your child works.
I remember when kids as young as 12 could rake berries with out a parent present. Now some do gooder took that away because it was thought to be child slave labor.
Another shining example of the liberal agenda to control every aspect of our lives. It’s in American and has no place in our country. Everyone of these fools should be voted out of office and many will be come November.
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