An Act to amend and reenact § 40.1-100 of the Code of Virginia, relating to employment of children; summer camps.
Summary
HB1218 amends Virginia’s child labor law, § 40.1-100, to update and clarify the occupations and conditions under which minors may work. The bill retains the general prohibition on hazardous work for children under 18 and the more limited restrictions for children under 16, but it specifically revises the summer camp exception. Under the new language, children 14 years of age or older may be employed by a summer camp operated by a religious, service, or scouting organization and may participate in all activities related to providing services for campers, so long as the camp is accredited by a recognized youth services organization and follows that organization’s published safety guidelines.
Impact
The bill changes Virginia’s employment-of-children statute by expanding and clarifying the summer camp exemption in § 40.1-100(C)(4). It affects employers operating qualifying summer camps, particularly religious, service, and scouting organizations, by allowing younger teens to work in broader camp-related roles if accreditation and safety requirements are met. The measure leaves the rest of Virginia’s child labor restrictions intact, including prohibitions on hazardous occupations, but it adds a more specific statutory pathway for camp employment.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support in both chambers, with the bill advancing through subcommittee, committee, the House, and the Senate without any recorded dissenting votes. That pattern suggests the measure was viewed as a narrow, practical update rather than a controversial change to child labor policy. No committee transcript is available, but the vote totals indicate broad bipartisan agreement.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. The only potentially sensitive issue is the balance between expanding work opportunities for minors at summer camps and preserving child safety, but the bill addresses that concern by conditioning the exemption on accreditation and adherence to recognized safety guidelines. No recorded opposition appears in the votes, and no specific objections are documented in the provided materials.