Finance Committee Vote on Eliminating Child Work Permits

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Legislature's finance committee is expected to vote on a bill that would eliminate work permits for 16- and 17-year-olds.

The panel is set to vote on the bill Monday afternoon. Approval would clear the way for votes in the full Assembly and Senate.

Right now Wisconsin law requires all minors under 18 to pay $10 for a work permit. Children under 14 generally aren't permitted to work any job except for door-to-door sales, farm work and domestic service work.

The bill would keep permit requirements in place for children under 16. A Legislative Fiscal Bureau analysis found eliminating permits for 16- and 17-year-olds would cost the state and local governments a total of $730,000 in lost revenue annually. Local governments keep $2.50 of every $10 permit fee.