The ongoing disintegration of social protections in pursuit of profit now targets the most vulnerable section of society: the youth. In what is likely a trial run for replication across the United States, the Iowa Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would permit children to work longer hours and in occupations currently prohibited, such as serving alcohol.
Displaying their unwavering commitment to passing this bill, the Senate approved File 542 at 4:52 a.m. on Tuesday with a 32-17 vote, with every Democrat and two Republicans opposing the legislation.
The Republican-controlled Iowa House will receive the bill, where they will likely approve it before it is sent to Governor Kim Reynolds for her signature. The bill would grant the directors of the Iowa Department of Education and Iowa Workforce Development the authority to make exceptions, permitting 14- to 17-year-olds to work in jobs currently prohibited for minors. This allowance is contingent upon the youths’ participation in an approved training program, which ostensibly provides “adequate supervision” and safety precautions.
The Iowa bill marks the most open support for tearing down child labor protections by capitalist politicians amid a wave of child labor violations in the US. This has long been a key policy objective of right-wing Republicans in particular, including Trump’s secretary of education and billionaire heiress, Betsy DeVos.
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