WashingtonHB 16442025-2026 Regular SessionHouse

Concerning the safety and health of working minors.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

New safeguards and limits for farm minors

Beginning July 1, 2026, Washington requires rules protecting the safety, health, and welfare of minors in covered agricultural jobs. Employers generally need a valid minor work permit, parent or guardian consent, and school approval to employ a minor. Consent can also come from a legal custodian. The rules must include exceptions for emancipated minors and employers who are the minor’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian.

More safety checks for young workers

Beginning July 1, 2026, Washington must conduct a worksite safety consultation before approving certain exceptions to age-based work bans. This covers minors in cooperative vocational education, diversified career experience, certified and monitored work experience, or registered apprenticeships. The Department of Labor and Industries must discuss allowed tools, equipment, and work practices with the employer. When inspectors immediately identify a hazard that could injure a minor, the department must try to notify the employer within 10 calendar days. This notice rule leaves other workplace safety rights, duties, and enforcement powers unchanged.

Child-labor violations can bar public contractors

Beginning July 1, 2026, Washington tightens eligibility for state and local public works contracts. A bidder cannot qualify if it is subject to the specified minor work permit revocation when submitting its bid. Before an award, the bidder must sign a statement under penalty of perjury confirming compliance with this requirement. The statement must also confirm compliance with the existing rule on specified willful wage-law violations.

Dangerous employers lose minor work permits

Beginning July 1, 2026, Washington officials can stop dangerous conditions that pose a substantial risk of death or serious injury to minors. They can require fixes or keep minors away from the danger. Officials must revoke an employer’s minor work permit after a qualifying serious-harm or death citation, or an immediate restraint order. The employer cannot obtain another permit for at least 12 months. Reissuance also requires at least 12 months without a citation for the specified violations.

Stronger farm child-labor enforcement and penalties

Beginning July 1, 2026, Washington adds enforcement tools to protect minors in covered agricultural jobs and increases employers’ penalty exposure. Permit, authorization, recordkeeping, and other nonserious violations carry fines of $100–$1,000. Hours violations carry $150–$1,000 fines; meal or rest break violations carry $300–$1,000 fines. Prohibited duties, broken work-exception conditions, minimum-wage violations, and other serious violations carry at least $1,000 fines. A second or later citation for those violations carries at least $2,000. Violations causing serious physical harm carry at least $15,000; those causing a minor’s death carry at least $71,000. Those harm or death fines can double for willful or repeated violations. Serious or repeated violations can also bring fines of up to $5,000 for each later day they continue. Fine amounts are adjusted for inflation using CPI-W beginning July 1, 2027, and every two years afterward. Written citations go to the employer’s highest management official, and copies must be posted near the violation site. Specified first-time nonserious violations allow time to fix the problem, and timely fixes can reduce or waive fines. Employers have 30 days to appeal; an appeal pauses the citation and penalty during review. Penalties are due within 30 days of receipt unless stayed, and unpaid final penalties can be collected under existing law. Unauthorized advance notice of an inspection carries a fine of up to $1,000. Collected penalties go to the state general fund, not directly to affected families. Employers who knowingly or recklessly violate covered agricultural child-labor requirements commit a gross misdemeanor. If the practices cause a minor’s death or permanent disability, the offense is a class C felony. Other covered chapter violations remain class 1 civil infractions.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Mary Fosse
Democratic • House

Cosponsors

Alex Ramel
Democratic • House
April Berg
Democratic • House
Brianna Thomas
Democratic • House
Chipalo Street
Democratic • House
Clyde Shavers
Democratic • House
Edwin Obras
Democratic • House
Jamila Taylor
Democratic • House
Julia Reed
Democratic • House
Julio Cortes
Democratic • House
Lauren Davis
Democratic • House
Lillian Ortiz-Self
Democratic • House
Lisa Parshley
Democratic • House
Liz Berry
Democratic • House
Mia Gregerson
Democratic • House
Monica Jurado Stonier
Democratic • House
My-Linh Thai
Democratic • House
Natasha Hill
Democratic • House
Nicole Macri
Democratic • House
Osman Salahuddin
Democratic • House
Roger Goodman
Democratic • House
Shaun Scott
Democratic • House
Tarra Simmons
Democratic • House
Timm Ormsby
Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 97 • No: 47

Senate vote • 4/9/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 37 • No: 12

House vote • 3/10/2025