action is needed to preserve child labor protections in west virginia that keep our kids safe.

hb 4005 on 3rd reading in the full house of delegates,  meaning the next action will be a vote on whether or not to pass this legislation. this bill would eliminate state rules that define which jobs are too dangerous for minors and remove requirements for direct supervision when children work with hazardous machinery.

west virginia already allows 16 and 17-year-olds to develop real workforce skills through approved youth apprenticeship programs—programs that work precisely because they include proper safeguards. hb 4005 isn't about expanding opportunity. it's about removing the protections that keep young workers safe.

this bill is part of a nationwide effort to weaken child labor laws at the state level. the consequences are serious: minors are more likely than adults to be injured or killed on the job, and child labor violations have increased across the country as these protections have eroded.

federal rules are not a substitute for state standards—they don't apply to all employers the way our state rules do, and they're also under attack. west virginia needs to maintain its own strong protections.

call to action: contact your delegate today. urge them to vote no on hb 4005 and keep west virginia's child labor protections intact.

action alert link: https://bit.ly/oppose-hb4005

from: legislative action team for children and families

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