Child labor bills are headed for their first hearing in the state Senate committee

A legislative package set to be heard by the Michigan Senate Labor Committee on Tuesday would provide more oversight of child labor in the state.

The bills would create a centralized state registry of working children instead of relying on each school district to keep track. The package would also increase penalties for children working in unsafe conditions.

This isn’t the first time lawmakers have sought to update Michigan’s child labor laws since a New York Times investigation uncovered extreme cases in West Michigan.

House bills aimed at giving the state’s child labor laws more force have been before the chamber for nearly a year. And another project to create a centralized way to monitor children in the workplace had a committee hearing in May, but no action has been taken since.

Opponents of the effort say they could overcomplicate the child labor licensing process.

The hearing on the Senate version of these bills will take place Tuesday at 2:30 p.m