2 1 or custodian of the minor that the minor is at least fourteen 2 years of age and is physically fit, and (2) the statement re3 lating to his employment required by paragraph (a) of sec4 tion 10 of this Act. Such minor may be required to file the 5 certificate of physical fitness required by paragraph (c) of 6 section 10 of this Act. A permit issued under this section to 7 any minor who is found to be physically unqualified for the 8 employment in which he is engaged may be canceled." 9 (b) Section 10 of such Act (D.C. Code, sec. 36-210) is 10 amended by striking out "SEC. 10. The officer" and inserting 11 in lieu thereof "SEC. 10. Except as provided in section 12 12 of this Act, the officer". Passed the House of Representatives June 14, 1971. Attest: W. PAT JENNINGS, Clerk. THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Hon. THOMAS F. EAGLETON, Chairman, Committee on the District of Columbia, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR EAGLETON: The Commissioner of the District of Columbia has for report S. 1996, a bill "To amend the Act entitled 'An Act to regulate the employment of minors within the District of Columbia' ", and H.R. 2592, a bill "To amend the Act entitled 'An Act to regulate the employment of minors in the District of Columbia', approved May 29, 1928", as passed by the House of Representatives on June 14, 1971. S. 1996 is substantially identical to legislation submitted to the Congress by the Commissioner on April 13, 1971. The purpose of S. 1996 is to extensively revise the existing child labor laws of the District of Columbia (45 Stat. 998; D.C. Code, title 36, chap. 2), enacted in 1928, to reflect present demands by youth for jobs, and to eliminate obsolete and restrictive provisions which hinder the employment of minors. At the same time, the bill would continue to protect, as does the present law, working youth from exploitation, and prohibit their employment in hazardous or dangerous occupations. In order to increase employment opportunities for young men and women of the District, the amendments made by S. 1996 would eliminate distinctions in employment based on sex by removing most of the barriers which restrict girls to certain occupations and circumscribe their hours of duty, and would expand the permitted working hours and areas of employment for all minors. The bill would substitute a certificate of eligibility, to be obtained and retained by the minor seeking employment, for the present work and vacation permits which are procured and kept on file by employers. It would eliminate obsolete job restrictions and establish standards more realistically related to modern working conditions and requirements. The bill would further authorize the issuance of a certificate permitting the employment of minors in sports activities, radio and television programs, as fashion models, and in theatrical, musical, and similar productions. The procedures established by S. 1996 for obtaining a certificate of eligibility will eliminate or modify many of the cumbersome, unnecessary complex, and time-consuming aspects of obtaining the present work permit. Specifically, the bill will eliminate the requirement of a special physical examination for minors under sixteen years of age, and rely instead upon periodic school examinations, enable parents to give written consent to the employment of a minor in lieu of physically accompanying the minor each time he applies for a work permit as is presently required, permit acceptance of a school record in lieu of a birth certificate as the primary proof of age, and obviate the need for obtaining a new permit for each subsequent job. It is believed that relaxation of the present detailed and stringent requirements for obtaining work permits will facilitate and encourage the prompt placement of youth in regular, short-term, and vacation jobs. Other provisions of the bill increase the penalties for repeated violations of its prohibitions and forbid the loitering of minors under the age of sixteen years in any business establishment during school hours. H.R. 2592 amends existing District child labor laws so as to modify or eliminate many of the technical requirements imposed upon minors between fourteen and sixteen years of age applying for vacation permits. This amendment will allow the parent, guardian, or custodian of such a minor to certify, in writing, as to the child's age and physical fitness. It also dispenses with the requirements (1) that the parent personally accompany the child when applying for a vacation permit and (2) that of filing a school record. However, there is reserved to the school authorities the right to require the minor to file a certificate of physical fitness and to subsequently cancel the vacation permit if such minor is found to be physically unqualified for the employment in which he is engaged. In the belief that the more comprehensive approach contained in S. 1996, is a preferable revision of the existing child labor laws of the District of Columbia, the Commissioner of the District of Columbia recommends enactment of S. 1996 in lieu of H.R. 2592. Sincerely yours, GRAHAM W. WATT, Commissioner. For: WALTER E. WASHINGTON, 92D CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2596 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY 11, 1971 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia AN ACT To amend the Act of July 11, 1947, to authorize members of the District of Columbia Fire Department, the United States Park Police force, and the Executive Protective Service, to participate in the Metropolitan Police Department Band, and for other purposes. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 That the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the establish 4 ment of a band in the Metropolitan Police force", approved 5 July 11, 1947, is amended as follows: 6 7 8 (1) The second sentence of the first section of such Act (D.C. Code, sec. 4-182) is amended to read as follows: "The Commissioner is authorized in his dis 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 cretion to detail officers and members of the Metro politan Police force and the District of Columbia Fire Department to participate in the activities of such band." The first sentence of such section is amended by striking out "Commissioners" and inserting in lieu thereof "Commissioner". The third sentence of such section is amended by striking out "Commissioners are" and inserting in lieu thereof "Commissioner is". (2) Such Act is amended by inserting immediately after the first section the following new section: "SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized in 12 his discretion to detail officers and members of the United 13 States Park Police force to participate in the activities of the 14 band established by this Act, and the Secretary of the Treas15 ury is authorized in his discretion to detail offiers and mem16 bers of the Executive Protective Service to participate in 17 the activities of such band." |