File No. 243

Senate, April 3, 2012

The Committee on Higher Education and Employment Advancement reported through SEN. BYE of the 5th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING MANUFACTURING INTERNSHIPS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (c) of section 31-23 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2012):

(c) No minor under the age of eighteen years shall be employed or permitted to work in any occupation which has been or shall be pronounced hazardous to health by the Department of Public Health or pronounced hazardous in other respects by the Labor Department. This section shall not apply to (1) the employment or enrollment of minors sixteen years of age and over as apprentices in bona fide apprenticeship courses in manufacturing or mechanical establishments, vocational schools or public schools, [or to] (2) the employment of such minors who have graduated from a public or private secondary or vocational school [,] in any manufacturing or mechanical establishment, (3) the employment of such minors who are participating in a manufacturing internship in any manufacturing establishment, or [to] (4) the enrollment of such minors in a cooperative work-study program approved by the Commissioner of Education and the Labor Commissioner or in a program established pursuant to section 10-20a. No provision of this section shall apply to agricultural employment, domestic service, street trades or the distribution of newspapers. For purposes of this subsection, the term "cooperative work-study program" means a program of vocational education, approved by the Commissioner of Education and the Labor Commissioner, for persons who, through a cooperative arrangement between the school and employers, receive instruction, including required academic courses and related vocational instruction by alternation of study in school with a job in any occupational field, provided these two experiences are planned and supervised by the school and employers so that each contributes to the student's education and to his employability. Work periods and school attendance may be on alternate half days, full days, weeks or other periods of time in fulfilling the cooperative work-study program.

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst's professional knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None

Municipal Impact: None

Explanation

The bill does not result in a fiscal impact, as it allows minors participating in a manufacturing internship to work in any manufacturing establishment. This change would not impact hours of employment, employment compensation, or any fiscal related matter.

The Out Years

State Impact: None

Municipal Impact: None

OLR Bill Analysis

SB 383

AN ACT CONCERNING MANUFACTURING INTERNSHIPS.

SUMMARY:

The bill expands the exceptions to the prohibition against minors working in hazardous duty jobs to include minors participating in a manufacturing internship in any manufacturing establishment.

By law, with certain exceptions, no minor can work in any occupation deemed a health hazard by the Department of Public Health or otherwise hazardous by the labor department (DOL). The law exempts from this prohibition:

1. 16- and 17- year olds in bona fide apprenticeship courses in manufacturing or mechanical establishments, vocational schools, or public schools;

2. minors who have graduated from a public or private secondary or vocational school and are employed in manufacturing or mechanical establishments;

3. minors enrolled in cooperative work-study programs approved by the State Department of Education and DOL; and

4. participants in a Connecticut career certificate program.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2012

COMMITTEE ACTION

Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee

Joint Favorable