Lawmakers pass 2 bills strengthening child labor laws in Illinois. What you need to know

Illinois might soon see stricter child labor laws for various workplaces as legislators work to update and clarify laws they believe are outdated.

Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, introduced Senate Bill 3646 in March, and said he introduced it due to surrounding states loosening restrictions on their child labor laws.

Here's what you need to know.

Child Labor Law of 2024

Senate Bill 3646 introduced by Peters is designed to strengthen up and remodel the general labor laws of the state.

The bill includes rules about the number of hours a minor can work during school days and weekends. A minor can’t work more than eight hours on weekends during the school year, and depending on the job they can only work a certain number of hours on a school day. If an employer were to violate the rules they may receive various fines.

The bill also addresses children who work as influencers online specifically in vlogs. If a child under 16 appears in vlogs online, then they are to be compensated based on the number of views a video receives and how many minutes they appear in the video.

The bill also states that anyone who creates vlogs that feature minors shall keep record of age, number of vlogs that generate money and the number of minutes that a minor is compensated for.

This bill has passed through the Senate and the House and has been placed on the calendar for concurrence.

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Child Performers Hours

Senate Bill 3180 introduced by Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, is a bill that will create stricter hours for children who work in entertainment.

Children who are under six months old can spend no more than two hours in the workplace, but they can only work for 20 minutes within the two-hour period.

If a minor is 6 years old but under 9, they can spend up to eight hours in the workplace, but they can only work for up to four hours. They also must have at least three hours of schooling with one hour of rest and recreation.

And a minor who is over 9 but under 16 can spend a maximum of nine hours in the workplace, but they can only work for five hours. They also must have at least three hours of schooling with one hour for rest and recreation.

The bill has passed through the Senate and the House and has been placed on the calendar for concurrence.

Contact Hope Gadson: hgadson@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Stricter rules might be put in place for minors working in Illinois