An Act to Expand Employment Opportunities for Minor Students
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0644
Sponsors: COLLINS, CYRWAY
Amends: 26 MRSA §773-A, 26 MRSA §774, 26 MRSA §781

Legislative Document
No. 644
H.P. 412
House of Representatives, February 25, 2025
An Act to Expand Employment Opportunities for Minor Students 
by Eliminating Certain Work Limitations
Received by the Clerk of the House on February 20, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
Labor pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative COLLINS of Sidney.
Cosponsored by Senator CYRWAY of Kennebec and
Representatives: DRINKWATER of Milford, FROST of Belgrade, HAGGAN of Hampden, 
HENDERSON of Rumford, PARRY of Arundel, POIRIER of Skowhegan, ROLLINS of 
Augusta, Senator: BRADSTREET of Kennebec.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  26 MRSA §773-A, sub-§3, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 286, §4, is 
amended to read:
C.  May be employed by a parent, but a parent is prohibited from employing the parent's 
minor child who is 16 years of age or older and under 18 years of age in occupations 
declared hazardous by the director in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to section 
and in accordance with 29 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 570; and
Sec. 2.  26 MRSA §773-A, sub-§3, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 286, §4, is 
repealed.
Sec. 3.  26 MRSA §774, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2017, c. 286, §5, is repealed.
Sec. 4.  26 MRSA §774, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1991, c. 713, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 5.  26 MRSA §774, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2009, c. 211, Pt. B, §23, is 
further amended to read:
4.  Exemptions.  Work performed in the planting, cultivating or harvesting of field 
crops or other agricultural employment, including the initial processing of farm crops, not 
in direct contact with hazardous machinery or hazardous substances, work performed as an 
employed or in-training theatrical actor or film actor or work performed as a summer camp 
employee in a youth camp licensed under Title 22, section 2495 is exempt from this section, 
provided as long as a minor under 16 years of age has been excused by the local 
superintendent of schools in accordance with the policy established by the Commissioner 
of Education and the Director of the Bureau of Labor Standards.  Work performed in the 
taking or catching of lobsters, fish or other marine organisms by any methods or means, or 
in the operating of ferries or excursion boats, is exempt from subsection 1, paragraphs A 
and C.
Sec. 6.  26 MRSA §774, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 219, §18, is repealed.
Sec. 7.  26 MRSA §781, sub-§1-A, as corrected by RR 2001, c. 1, §39, is amended 
to read:
1-A.  De minimis violations of section 774.  Notwithstanding subsection 1, absent a 
finding that reasonably suggests a pattern of knowing and intentional conduct, the bureau 
may disregard the following violations of section 774:
A.  A violation of the limits on the time that work may begin or end under section 774, 
subsection 1, paragraph F or G or section 774, subsection 2, paragraph F, as long as the 
violation is no greater than 10 minutes per day;
B.  A violation of the number of hours a minor may work in any day under section 774, 
subsection 1, paragraph B, C or D or section 774, subsection 2, paragraph C or D, as 
long as the violation is not greater than 10 minutes per day; and
C.  A violation of the number of hours worked in a week under section 774, subsection 
1, paragraph A or B or section 774, subsection 2, paragraph A or B, as long as the 
violation is not greater than 50 minutes in a week.
SUMMARY
This bill repeals the provisions of law specifying that a minor 16 or 17 years of age 
may not work:
1. More than 50 hours in any week when the minor's school is not in session;
2. More than 24 hours in any week when the minor's school is in session;
3. More than 6 hours in any day when the minor's school is in session;
4. More than 10 hours in any day when the minor's school is not in session;
5. More than 6 consecutive days; 
6. After 10:15 p.m. on a day preceding a day on which the minor's school is in session 
or after 12 midnight on a day that does not precede such a school day; or
7. Before 7 a.m. on a day on which the minor's school is in session or before 5 a.m. on 
any other day.
The bill also repeals the provision of law specifying that a minor under 17 years of age 
may not be employed during the hours that the public schools of the town or city in which 
the minor resides are in session. The bill also repeals record-keeping requirements 
regarding work hours for minors.