A 5588 New Jersey General Assembly · 2024-2025 Regular Session

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

This bill revises New Jersey's child labor laws specifically for minors working in theatrical productions. It establishes age-based work hour limits: minors aged 6-9 may work up to 6 hours daily (with up to 8 hours on set), those aged 9-16 may work up to 7 hours (up to 9 hours on set), and those aged 16-18 may work up to 8 hours (up to 10 hours on set). Employers must provide three hours of daily tutoring per workday (with possible additional hours counting toward this requirement), and the bill creates a new one-year registration system allowing parents/guardians to apply for permits covering multiple productions or employers. The bill also permits extended work hours (5 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.) on days preceding non-school days.
Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2025
Committee Review
Jan 2026
General Assembly Passage
Jan 2026
Senate Passage
Jan 2026
Governor
Introduced May 5, 2025 Last action Jan 12, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
7
Key actions
3
Committee
2
Jan 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (39-0)
upper
Jan 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed Assembly (69-6-0)
lower
Jan 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Assembly Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading
lower
Jan 8, 2026
Committee
Transferred to Assembly Appropriations Committee
lower
May 5, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Labor Committee
lower
5 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors