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Republican Sen. Chip Perfect's bill would remove work permit requirements for minors and remove restrictions on hours that 16- and 17-year-olds can work.
Courtesy Indiana Senate RepublicansINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indiana lawmaker's efforts to eliminate the state's child labor laws have raised conflict of interest concerns because he employs hundreds of minors at a ski resort.
The Indianapolis Star reports that Republican Sen. Chip Perfect's bill would remove work permit requirements for minors and remove restrictions on hours that 16- and 17-year-olds can work. Perfect is also the CEO of Perfect North Slopes, which employees 300 to 400 minors.
Indiana Senate rules say a lawmaker should consider if a bill has a "unique, direct and material effect" before voting on it.
Perfect says the bill focuses on small businesses and there's no conflict of interest.
Julia Vaughn is the policy director for Common Cause Indiana, a political watchdog group. She says Perfect's business interests should trigger extra scrutiny.
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