LAKE COUNTY — A bill that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work 10 hours a day up to 60 hours per week during the county”s pear harvest season is moving through the state legislative process, passing through the state Assembly Labor and Employment Committee in a 7 -0 vote this week.
With pear harvest encroaching which usually begins in July and runs through Labor Day laborers will be needed to ensure Lake County”s usually abundant pear harvest gets to consumers, and does not rot on the ground as a too-large portion of it did last season.
Senate Bill 319 is the latest tag for an approximately 12-year-old labor law that sunsets every three years, with January 2008 being the next time it will sunset. It is sponsored by Senator Pat Wiggins this time around, who decided to sponsor it after observing the program last summer at the Scully Packing Company facility.
SB 319 was passed unanimously by the state Senate Labor Committee in April, and still needs a stamp of approval from the appropriations committee.
“The bill has had strong bipartisan support every step of the way so far, and its prospects for reaching the Governor”s desk look very good,” said David Miller, press secretary at Wiggins” office in a recent e-mail.
“This wonderful program has had the ongoing support of local educators, students, law enforcement and the agricultural community, and while it pays to be cautious about predicting legislative outcomes in the state Capitol, the Senator feels confident about this one. She has reminded her colleagues time and time again why this is important to her constituents in Lake County, and they have been very supportive of her effort thus far,” added Miller.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
