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HB1644 • 2026
Concerning the safety and health of working minors.
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Working minors
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
225 • Schmidt
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1644-S AMH ....
226 • Fosse
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1644-S AMH ....
235 • Klicker
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1644-S AMH ....
320 • Fosse
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1644-S AMH FOSS LEON 112 1 - Official Print 1644-S AMH FOSS LEON 112 SHB 1644 - H AMD 320 By Representative Fosse WITHDRAWN 03/10/2025 On page 7, at the beginning of line 4, insert "of any" On page 7, line 6, after "under" strike "RCW 49.17.180 (1), (2), (4), or (5)" and insert ": (I) RCW 49.17.180 (1) or (4) where a minor was exposed to the hazard or condition caused by one or more of those violations, excluding any violation that is determined to not be serious in nature; or (II) RCW 49.17.180 (2) or (5) where a minor was exposed to the hazard or condition caused by one or more of those violations" On page 8, line 19, after "49.12.121" insert "or an applicable rule" On page 8, after line 35, insert the following: "NEW SECTION.
746 • Schmidt
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1644-S AMH ....
290 • King
Plain English: 1644-S.E AMS KING S2659.1 ESHB 1644 - S AMD 290 By Senator King NOT ADOPTED 04/09/2025 On page 7, line 9, after "(i)" insert "(A)" 1 On page 7, line 13, after " order" strike ", where one" and insert 2 "; and3 (B) One" 4 On page 12, line 1, after "(i)" insert "(A)" 5 On page 12, line 6, after "orders" strike ", where one" and 6 insert "; and 7 (B) One" 8 EFFECT: Specifies that the requirement that one or more violations must cause serious physical harm or death to a minor for a minor work permit to be revoked applies to both the specified violations of the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act and the laws and applicable rules related to the employment of minors (rather than only the laws and applicable rules related to the employment of minors).
291 • Schoesler
Plain English: 1644-S.E AMS SCHO S2660.1 ESHB 1644 - S AMD 291 By Senator Schoesler NOT ADOPTED 04/09/2025 On page 8, line 24, after "the" insert "primary"1 On page 9, line 16, after "the" insert "primary"2 EFFECT: Specifies that the safety and health consultation L&I must provide prior to issuing a student-learner variance occurs at the primary worksite, rather than just worksite.
294 • Braun
Plain English: 1644-S.E AMS BRAU S2658.1 ESHB 1644 - S AMD 294 By Senator Braun NOT ADOPTED 04/09/2025 On page 5, line 11, after " employer" strike " must" and insert 1 "may" 2 On page 5, after line 32, insert the following:3 "(d) No civil penalty may be assessed pursuant to (c) of this 4 subsection for a de minimis violation." 5 Reletter the remaining subsections consecutively and correct any 6 internal references accordingly.
296 • Braun
Plain English: 1644-S.E AMS BRAU S2657.1 ESHB 1644 - S AMD 296 By Senator Braun NOT ADOPTED 04/09/2025 On page 1, beginning on line 7, strike all of section 11 Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any 2 internal references accordingly.
1st substitute bill substituted.
Working minors
AN ACT Relating to the safety and health of working minors; 1 amending RCW 49.12.390; adding a new section to chapter 49.12 RCW; 2 and prescribing penalties. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4 Sec. 1. RCW 49.12.390 and 1991 c 303 s 3 are each amended to 5 read as follows: 6 (1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in (e) of this subsection 7 (((2) of this section)), if the director, or the director's designee, 8 finds that an employer has violated any of the requirements of RCW 9 49.12.121 or 49.12.123, or a rule or order adopted or variance 10 granted under RCW 49.12.121 or 49.12.123, a citation stating the 11 violations shall be issued to the employer. The citation shall be in 12 writing, describing the nature of the violation including reference 13 to the standards, rules, or orders alleged to have been violated. 14 ((An initial )) A first citation for failure to comply with RCW 15 49.12.123 or rules requiring a minor work permit and maintenance of 16 records, or for other nonserious violations shall state a specific 17 and reasonable time for abatement of the violation to allow the 18 employer to correct the violation without a civil penalty. ((The 19 director or the director's designee may establish a specific time for 20 abatement of other nonserious violations in lieu of a penalty for 21 H-0787.2 HOUSE BILL 1644 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Representatives Fosse, Ortiz-Self, Parshley, Stonier, Taylor, Shavers, Davis, Obras, Macri, Berg, Hill, Street, Berry, Reed, Cortes, Ramel, Thomas, Goodman, Ormsby, Salahuddin, Scott, Gregerson, Thai, and Simmons Read first time 01/28/25. Referred to Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards. p. 1 HB 1644 first time violations. )) The citation and a ((proposed)) penalty 1 assessment shall be given to the highest management official 2 available at the workplace or be mailed to the employer at the 3 workplace. In addition, the department shall mail a copy of the 4 citation and ((proposed)) penalty assessment to the central personnel 5 office of the employer. Citations issued under this section shall be 6 posted at or near the place where the violation occurred.7 (b) Except when an employer corrects a violation as provided in 8 (a) of this subsection, ((he or she )) the employer shall be assessed 9 a civil penalty ((of not more than one thousand dollars depending on 10 the size of the business and the gravity of the violation )) as 11 follows:12 (i) No less than $100 for each violation involving the failure to 13 comply with RCW 49.12.123 or rules requiring a minor work permit, 14 maintenance record requirements, or failure to complete school 15 authorization procedures, or for each other nonserious violation;16 (ii) No less than $150 for each violation involving failure to 17 comply with hours of work requirements;18 (iii) No less than $300 for each violation involving failure to 19 comply with meal break or rest break requirements;20 (iv) No less than $1,000 for each violation involving failure to 21 comply with prohibited duty requirements, variance conditions, or 22 minimum wage requirements for minors, or for each other serious 23 violation, except the civil penalty may be no less than $2,000 for 24 each violation in a second or subsequent citation for any of these 25 violations identified in this subsection (1)(b)(iv); and26 (v) No less than $71,000 for any violation resulting in the 27 serious physical harm or death of a minor, which may be doubled where 28 the violation is a willful violation or a repeated violation.29 (c) The department shall increase penalty assessments above the 30 minimum amounts prescribed in this subsection based on a 31 consideration of the following factors: Whether the violation was 32 committed willfully or the violation is a repeat violation; the size 33 of the employer; the age of the minor; the gravity of the violation; 34 the hazards created by the violation; the penalties for comparable 35 violations under federal law; the penalty amount necessary to deter 36 future noncompliance; ensuring the penalty amount is consistent with 37 the purposes of this chapter; and any other factor warranting an 38 increase in the penalty as deemed appropriate by the department.39 p. 2 HB 1644 (d) The employer shall pay the amount assessed within ((thirty)) 1 30 days of receipt of the assessment or notify the director of ((his 2 or her )) the employer's intent to appeal the citation or the 3 assessment penalty as provided in RCW 49.12.400. 4 (((2))) (e) If the director, or the director's designee, finds 5 that an employer has committed a serious or repeated violation of the 6 requirements of RCW 49.12.121 or 49.12.123, or any rule or order 7 adopted or variance granted under RCW 49.12.121 or 49.12.123, the 8 employer is subject to ((a)) an additional civil penalty of ((not 9 more than one thousand dollars )) a minimum of $1,000 for each 10 subsequent day the violation continues. For the purposes of this 11 subsection (1)(e), a serious violation shall be deemed to exist if 12 death or serious physical harm has resulted or is imminent from a 13 condition that exists, or from one or more practices, means, methods, 14 operations, or processes that have been adopted or are in use by the 15 employer, unless the employer did not, and could not with the 16 exercise of reasonable diligence, know of the presence of the 17 violation. 18 (f) Beginning July 1, 2027, and every two years thereafter, the 19 department shall adjust by rule the amounts in this subsection (1) 20 for inflation based on the consumer price index.21 (((3))) (2)(a) In addition to any other authority provided in 22 this section, if, upon inspection or investigation, the director, or 23 director's designee, believes that an employer has violated RCW 24 49.12.121 or 49.12.123, or a rule or order adopted or variance 25 granted under RCW 49.12.121 or 49.12.123, and that the violation 26 creates a danger from which there is a substantial probability that 27 death or serious physical harm could result to a minor employee, the 28 director, or director's designee, may issue an order immediately 29 restraining the condition, practice, method, process, or means 30 creating the danger in the workplace. 31 (b) An order issued under this subsection may require the 32 employer to take steps necessary to avoid, correct, or remove the 33 danger and ((to)) may prohibit the ((employment or )) presence of a 34 minor in locations or under conditions where the danger exists.35 (3)(a) The director or the director's designee shall revoke an 36 employer's minor work permit and prohibit the employer from obtaining 37 a minor work permit for no less than 12 months if:38 (i) The employer has been issued any combination of three or more 39 of the following within any 24-month time period:40 p. 3 HB 1644 (A) A safety and health citation under RCW 49.17.120 containing 1 one or more violations under RCW 49.17.180 (1), (2), (4), or (5); or2 (B) Any citation and notice of assessment containing one or more 3 violations of RCW 49.12.121 or 49.12.123 or the applicable rules;4 (ii) The employer has been issued a safety and health citation 5 under RCW 49.17.120 containing one or more violations under RCW 6 49.17.180 (1), (2), (4), or (5) or any citation and notice of 7 assessment containing one or more violations of RCW 49.12.121 or 8 49.12.123 or the applicable rules, and one or more of the violations 9 caused serious physical harm or death to a minor; or10 (iii) An order has been issued immediately restraining an 11 employer's condition, practice, method, process, or means in the 12 workplace pursuant to subsection (2) of this section or RCW 49.17.130 13 or 49.17.170.14 (b) A minor work permit may not be issued to an employer who has 15 previously been subject to a revocation under (a) of this subsection 16 (3) unless the employer has not been issued a citation for any 17 violations of the provisions identified in (a)(i) of this subsection 18 (3) for at least 12 months.19 (c) This subsection does not prohibit the department from 20 revoking, suspending, or modifying a minor work permit for any reason 21 or cause provided for under state law or department rule or policy.22 (4) ((An employer who violates any of the posting requirements of 23 RCW 49.12.121 or rules adopted implementing RCW 49.12.121 shall be 24 assessed a civil penalty of not more than one hundred dollars for 25 each violation.26 (5))) A person who gives advance notice, without the authority of 27 the director, of an inspection to be conducted under this chapter 28 shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one thousand 29 dollars. 30 (((6))) (5) Penalties assessed under this section shall be paid 31 to the director and deposited into the general fund.32 (6) The department shall include in its annual report submitted 33 under RCW 49.12.180 the following information:34 (a) The number and type of citations and penalties issued and 35 imposed under this section;36 (b) The number of and reasons for revocations of minor work 37 permits; and38 p. 4 HB 1644 (c) The number and nature of workplace injuries involving minors 1 reviewed by the department, including whether those injuries resulted 2 in citations or permit revocations under this section.3 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 49.12 4 RCW to read as follows: 5 Before granting a variance from RCW 49.12.121 in order to allow a 6 minor participating in a bona fide cooperative vocational education 7 program, diversified career experience program, work experience 8 program certified and monitored by the office of the superintendent 9 of public instruction or the minor employee's school district, or a 10 registered apprenticeship program to perform a work duty typically 11 prohibited based on the minor's age, the department shall:12 (1) Conduct a safety and health consultation at the worksite; and13 (2) Consult with the employer on the types of tools, equipment, 14 and practices permitted under the variance. 15 --- END --- p. 5 HB 1644