February 14, 2024
The Wisconsin Assembly concurred in a Senate bill that would eliminate work permits for 15- and 16-year-old teenagers in a party-line vote Tuesday.
The vote followed a half-hour debate in which the Republican supporters said they were simply seeking to remove “red tape” and “bureaucracy” from teenage job seekers and their families. They noted that the state has already eliminated work permits requirements for older teens, under legislation enacted during former Gov. Scott Walker’s last term in office.
“I think this is something good to instill the work ethic in some of our youth that have kind of gotten away from it with their cell phones and their tablets,” said Rep. Patrick Snyder (R-Schofield).
Democrats warned the measure would undermine child labor laws.
“This is not about creating opportunities for kids to build work ethics,” said Rep. Kristina Shelton (D-Green Bay), adding that it was demeaning and inaccurate to “talk about our kids as if they’re lazy and looking at their phones all the time.”