A bill passed by the Iowa Senate Tuesday after a marathon session would allow children to work longer hours, including in jobs currently prohibited, like serving alcohol.

According to Des Moines Register, Senate File 542 was approved by a vote of 32 to 17 shortly before 5 a.m. Tuesday. Republican senators Charlie McClintock (R-Alburnett) and Jeff Taylor (R-Sioux Center) separated from their colleagues to join the Democrats in opposition. 

The bill must still pass in the House before Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds can sign it for approval. Republican backers of the bill claimed it would modernize Iowa's laws and teach kids valuable skills through workforce training programs.

"While the responsibility of having a job might be more valuable than having a paycheck, the reward of the paycheck will allow these youth who want to have a job to save for a car possibly, maybe buy a prom dress, go to a summer camp, take a date out for the weekend," said Senator Adrian Dickey, R-Packwood, the bill's floor manager.

The bill would allow children under 16 to work up to six hours a day, or two more hours than presently allowed for that age group. 

It would also allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work until 9 p.m. during the school year and until 11 p.m. over the summer, including serving alcohol at restaurants, with parent's or guardian's written permission.

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Department of Labor's Top Lawyer Disagrees With New Child Labor Law in Iowa

Seema Nanda, a top U.S. Department of Labor lawyer, disagreed with the new child labor law in Iowa and said it is "irresponsible for states to consider loosening child labor protections."

The Democratic Party and labor organizations have voiced similar concerns, claiming that the bill will make Iowa teens more vulnerable to harm in the workplace, Fox News reported.

After an investigation revealed that more than a hundred children were working overnight and handling hazardous equipment, such as skull splitters and bone saws, for a company that cleans slaughterhouses across the country, the Biden administration urged American businesses earlier this month to make sure that they are not illegally hiring children to perform such jobs.

Officials are worried about exploiting children, mainly migrant youngsters who may not even have a parent in the United States. The Labor Department said it has over 600 child labor investigations active.

The passage of the law is a "disgrace" and will "do nothing to attract new Iowans and puts children at risk of death in dangerous occupations," Charlie Wishman, president of the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, told Insider.

Governor Kim Reynold Is in Favor of the New Bill for Iowa Teens

Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has previously supported the bill, telling reporters earlier this month that she does not believe "we should discourage" Iowa teens from seeking employment and earning money.

Reynolds discussed the new child labor law in a press briefing on April 4 and cited her time spent babysitting and waiting tables as a teenager.

"That's good experience," Reynolds said, adding that she does not think it is a good idea to discourage kids from working part-time if they have the time and want to make some money.

Aside from easing child labor laws, Republicans in the state have also voted to limit SNAP food benefits, Insider reported. A new bill approved this month restricts those seeking food aid.

Anyone with more than $15,000 in liquid assets or savings would no longer be eligible for assistance, and state agencies will be required to run beneficiaries' identification checks.

Food stamp recipients were initially prohibited from purchasing foods like white bread and American cheese in an earlier version of the bill. However, this was removed from the final bill.

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Written by: Bert Hoover

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