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H1744 • 2025

An Act to prevent child labor exploitation and trafficking

An Act to prevent child labor exploitation and trafficking

Children
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Christopher Hendricks
Last action
2026-03-26
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to prevent child labor exploitation and trafficking

An Act to prevent child labor exploitation and trafficking By Representative Hendricks of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to prevent child labor exploitation and trafficking By Representative Hendricks of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 1744) of Christopher Hendricks, Mark C.
  • Montigny and Antonio F.
  • D.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-26 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)

  2. 2025-10-20 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 06/10/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2

  3. 2025-06-05 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 06/10/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2

  4. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on The Judiciary

  5. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

  6. House

    Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act to prevent child labor exploitation and trafficking
By Representative Hendricks of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1744) of Christopher Hendricks, Mark C. Montigny and Antonio F. D. Cabral for legislation to prevent child labor exploitation and trafficking. The Judiciary.

Current Bill Text

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Bill H.1744

SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 149 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “tenement house workrooms,” the following words:- seafood packing or processing facilities,

SECTION 2.

Section 56 of said chapter 149 is hereby amended by inserting after the words “any hospital in a nonprofessional capacity,” the following words:- any seafood packing or processing facility,

SECTION 3.

Said section 56 is hereby amended by striking the following words:-

but, except in the work of fish processing when necessary in the judgment of the attorney general, and then only during the months of June, July, August, September and October, shall not exceed fifty-two

SECTION 4.

Section 60 of said chapter 149 is hereby amended by inserting after the words “or mechanical establishment,” the following words:- , or in any seafood packing or processing facility.

SECTION 5.

Section 62 of said chapter 149 is hereby amended by inserting after the words "(16) in any job or occupation requiring the possession or use of a firearm," the following words:- (17) or in any seafood packing or processing facility.

SECTION 6.

Section 78 of said chapter 149 is hereby amended by striking the figure “$500” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $20,000

SECTION 7.

Said section 78 of chapter 149 is hereby amended by striking the figure “$5,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $100,000

SECTION 8.

Said section 78 of chapter 149 is hereby amended

by inserting at the end thereof the following sentence:- The penalty provided for in this section shall be in addition to and may be imposed concurrently with any other remedy or penalty provided for in this chapter.

SECTION 9.

Section 78A of said chapter 149 is hereby amended in subsection (a) by striking the figures “$250,” “$500,” and “$2,500,” respectively, and inserting in place thereof the following figures:- “$20,000,” “$50,000,” and “$100,000,”.

SECTION 10.

Said section 78A of chapter 149 is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following subsection:- (e) The penalty provided for in this section shall be in addition to and may be imposed concurrently with any other remedy or penalty provided for in this chapter.

SECTION 11.

Section 79 of said chapter 149 is hereby amended by striking the words “twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two months, or both” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- $20,000 nor more than $100,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both

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