1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to express my deep concern and outrage over the recent passage of Senate Bill 50. This legislation, which allows 14 and 15-year-old children to work later hours on school nights for lower wages, is a blatant exploitation of our youth and must be reversed immediately. SB 50 permits young teens to work until 9 PM on school nights while only receiving the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, instead of Ohio's higher rate of $10.70. This is not just a step backward; it's a leap into the dark days before child labor laws were established in the 1930s. The bill weakens crucial protections that were put in place to safeguard our children's well-being and education. The justification that this helps businesses facing labor shortages is short-sighted and morally bankrupt. We should be focusing on creating better jobs for adults and addressing the root causes of labor shortages, not exploiting children for cheap labor. This policy will inevitably lead to tired teenagers struggling in school, prioritizing low-wage work over their education and future prospects. It's particularly galling to see this push from lawmakers who claim to champion child protection in other contexts. This hypocrisy exposes a troubling prioritization of business profits over the welfare of our youth. Moreover, the connection between this bill and restrictive immigration policies that reduce the available adult workforce cannot be ignored. I urge you to take immediate action to reverse SB 50. We need policies that invest in our children's future, not ones that exploit them. Our state should be leading the way in protecting young workers, not rolling back the clock on child labor laws. The enforcement of these laws is already weak, and this bill only exacerbates the problem. As your constituent, I demand that you prioritize the well-being of Ohio's youth over short-term business interests. Work to repeal SB 50 and instead focus on policies that create fair-wage jobs for adults, support education, and truly protect our children. The future of our state depends on the choices we make today. Don't let Ohio become known for child exploitation.