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119-s-5662119th CongressWALLET

CARE Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

Introduced

Summary

Tightening child labor protections in agriculture would sharply expand federal limits on youth work and add new penalties, reporting, and a ban on youth pesticide handling to protect minors.

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  • Children and families: Rewrites age rules so youngest children face broad limits and older teens are barred from jobs the Secretary deems hazardous. It also bans under-18 pesticide handler work under 40 C.F.R. Part 170.
  • Employers: Requires reporting within 5 days of work-related serious injury, serious illness discovery, or work-related death of an under-18 in agriculture. Failure to report carries penalties of $500 to $7,000 per violation.
  • Enforcement and penalties: Increases civil fines and creates criminal penalties for repeated or willful violations that cause serious harm. Civil fines can reach $60,115 for severe incidents and criminal sentences can be up to 5 years.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.

Ban on minors handling pesticides

If enacted, the bill would prohibit anyone under 18 from doing pesticide "handler" tasks as defined in EPA rules. The bill would declare pesticide handling by minors particularly hazardous. The Secretary of Labor would have to revise child labor rules (29 C.F.R. part 570) to reflect this ban within 30 days after enactment.

Narrowed farm child labor exceptions

If enacted, the bill would narrow agricultural child labor exceptions. Minors under 18 could work in agriculture for a parent only outside the school hours of their home school district and only on a farm owned by or employing that parent. The bill would also remove a prior hand-harvest waiver that allowed broader child work. For under-16s, employment by a parent would still be allowed except in manufacturing, mining, or work the Secretary finds hazardous. These changes would apply after the Secretary issues implementing rules, which the bill allows the Secretary to publish within six months and have take effect within 30 days.

Tighter child labor age limits

If enacted, the bill would redefine "oppressive child labor" by age. Work by children under 14 would count as oppressive. Work by 14- and 15-year-olds would be barred unless the Secretary of Labor finds it does not harm schooling or health. Work by 16- and 17-year-olds would be barred in occupations the Secretary declares particularly hazardous or harmful. The Secretary could issue implementing rules within six months and those rules would take effect within 30 days after publication.

Higher fines and prison for employers

If enacted, employers would face much higher civil fines for child labor violations. General violations would draw $500 to $15,000 per affected employee. Violations that cause a minor’s serious injury, serious illness, or death would draw $15,000 to $60,115 per violation, and that amount could be doubled for repeated or willful violations. If enacted, repeated or willful violations that cause a minor’s death, serious injury, or serious illness could also bring criminal penalties of up to 5 years in prison and a fine under Title 18. These penalties would apply after the Secretary issues the implementing rules required by the bill.

Employer reporting and DOL data rules

If enacted, employers would have to report within 5 days any work-related serious injury, discovery of a work-related serious illness, or work-related death of an agricultural worker under 18. Reports would include employer identity, the employee's name and age, and incident details like hazards, chemicals, machinery, and tasks. Failure to report could bring $500 to $7,000 per violation. The Secretary would analyze these data and send an annual report to Congress and publish it. The Secretary may issue implementing rules within six months; rules take effect within 30 days after publication, and some reporting takes effect no later than six months after enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

NM • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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