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119-hr-3997119th CongressWALLET

Protecting Children Act

Sponsored By: Representative Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3]

Introduced

Summary

Strengthens enforcement against oppressive child labor by raising civil and criminal penalties and creating a Treasury fund to support enforcement and young-worker safety. It also tightens rulemaking, data reporting, and research to better detect and prevent hazardous work for children.

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  • Children and families: Harmed youth get a new private right of action to sue employers and may recover compensatory and punitive damages.
  • Workers and employers: Civil fines can reach as high as $700,000 for certain violations and corporate criminal fines can reach $10,000,000 per violation for death-related offenses.
  • Government, enforcement, and researchers: Establishes the Child Labor and Safety and Health Fund financed by penalties to pay for investigations, enforcement, training, and research, and requires new government-wide child-labor statistics and annual, age-disaggregated reports.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Higher safety and child-labor penalties

If enacted, employers would face much higher fines and tougher jail terms for unsafe work and child labor. OSHA civil fine caps would jump (for example, a $70,000 cap would become $700,000), and fines must consider money saved by breaking rules and past violations. Fines could be doubled for serious injuries and doubled or tripled if a worker under 18 dies. Child labor civil penalties would have set ranges (for example, $1,500 to $150,000 and $7,000 to $700,000). Criminal penalties could reach up to 15 years or life in prison, with corporate fines up to $5 million or $10 million per violation. These changes would start 60 days after enactment.

New right to sue over child labor

If an employer breaks child labor rules and a child is harmed, the child or guardian could sue for money. Claims could seek both compensatory and punitive damages. This would apply to violations of section 12 that cause harm. It would start 60 days after enactment.

New fund, data, and training on child labor

This bill would create a Treasury fund for child labor and young worker safety, paid by certain civil penalties. Money could move to Labor and be spent without yearly limits on investigations, training, victim support, and research. Labor would build a child employment data program with yearly reports, state estimates when possible, and surveys of migrant children and children in poverty. HHS would develop, within one year, a model to count all work injuries and costs and publish yearly reports, including for workers under 18 and costs not covered by workers' comp. Labor would also fund training and publish an enforcement capacity report by March 1 each year. A public 15-member advisory committee would meet at least twice a year, with open meetings.

Stronger rules for hazardous teen jobs

The Labor Department would tighten how it sets hazardous job bans for teens. It would use precaution for dangerous exposures, consult health experts, and post proposals for 60 days of public comment (extendable up to 120 days). If HHS/NIOSH sends criteria, the Secretary would act within 180 days or explain why not. New rules could not weaken current child protections. Courts could block shipments tied to violations for up to 90 days instead of 30. These changes would start 60 days after enactment.

New court path to challenge labor rules

People affected by a new rule could ask a U.S. court of appeals to review it. They could file where they live, where their main business is, or in the D.C. Circuit. Petitions must be filed within 60 days of the Federal Register notice, and filing would not pause the rule. These cases would not get a second review later during enforcement.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3]

VA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3]

    KY • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]

    LA • D

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 6/26/2025

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 6/27/2025

  • Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 7/16/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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