LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 4340

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: SEPTEMBER 17, 2025

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Revises child labor laws concerning employment of minor in theatrical production.

Type of Impact:

Potential annual State revenue increase to the Property Tax Relief Fund, the Unemployment Insurance Compensation Fund, the Workforce Development Partnership Fund, and the State Disability Benefits Fund; potential annual State expenditure increase. 

Agencies Affected:

Department of the Treasury; Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

 

Fiscal Impact

Annual

State Revenue Increase

Indeterminate

State Expenditure Increase

Indeterminate

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that the bill may lead to an indeterminate annual increase in State income and payroll tax collections, given the potential increase in wages earned by minors under the bill.

 

·         The OLS notes that the bill may result in an indeterminate annual increase, likely small, in State expenditures from establishing and maintaining a registration system for permits authorizing the employment of a minor in a theatrical production.

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

     This bill revises the child labor laws concerning the employment of a minor in a theatrical production.  Specifically, the bill revises the hours in which a minor may work each day on a production so that a minor:

     (1)   between six and under nine years old may work up to four hours in a day on a school day and up to six hours in a day on a non-school day, with time on set not exceeding eight hours in a day;

     (2)   between nine and under 16 years old may work up to five hours in a day on a school day and up to seven hours in a day on a non-school day, with time on set not exceeding nine hours in a day; and

     (3)   between 16 years old and under 18 years old may work on set for up to six hours a day on a school day and up to nine hours a day on a non-school day, with time on set not exceeding 10 hours in a day.

     The bill creates a registration system independent of the system for other working minors that allows one account to be shared by a parent or guardian and a minor and allows a parent or guardian to apply for a multi-employer or multi-production permit that will be valid for one year.  An employer for a theatrical production may still apply for a single production permit on behalf of a minor, with the consent of a parent or guardian.

     The bill changes the schooling requirements for a minor in a theatrical production to require that the employer provide a tutor for the minor who will provide schooling to the minor for three hours per day on a day of employment.  The bill provides that additional schooling may be permitted under certain circumstances that may count toward the three-hour daily schooling requirement.

     This bill is modeled after child theatrical labor requirements in California and New York, as well as guidelines established by the Screen Actors Guild. 

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS estimates that the enactment of this bill may result in an indeterminate annual increase in gross income tax revenues deposited into the Property Tax Relief Fund, to the extent that minors expand their working hours as allowed by the bill.  These additional earnings would also result in concomitant increases to, for example, the Unemployment Insurance Compensation Fund; the Workforce Development Partnership Fund; and the State Disability Benefits Fund, including the Family Leave Insurance account.  

      The OLS notes that the bill may result in an indeterminate annual increase, likely small, in State expenditures by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development related to establishing and maintaining a registration system for permits authorizing the employment of a minor in a theatrical production.

 

 

Section:

Commerce, Labor and Industry

Analyst:

John Gaudioso

Associate Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).