The House gave final approval Wednesday to a bill that would double fines for violations of child labor laws.
First time violators would be fined $500 instead of $250 and subsequent violations would draw a $1,000 fine instead of $500.
If an underage worker is injured at a business with workplace safety violations, state officials can fine the company $14,000, up from $7,000.
The legislation, approved by a 114 to 1 vote, was prompted by a series of stories in the Charlotte Observer last year that chronicled how thousands of youths in the U.S. are injured working jobs deemed unsafe for underage workers.
"Currently it's like a slap on the wrist to hire an underage person," said Rep. Jennifer Weiss, Raleigh Democrat and a key sponsor of the bill of the existing penalties. "We need to make sure that the workplace is safe."
The bill is one of three proposals meant to strenghthen enforcement of child labor laws. A bill that required more reporting from the Department of Labor to the legislature was prevously adopted.
A third proposal that would have funded more investigators and enforcement officers has been set aside this year because of the budget deficit, Weiss said.
Update: Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said in a statement that the bill should help curb violations.
"I’m supportive of anything that will protect our young workers," Berry said. North Carolina has had one youth workplace fatality in the last five years but that is one too many. Hopefully this legislation will remind employers to think twice about what tasks they are asking our young workers to perform."
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