# Summary of H.R. 4440, Protecting Children Act
This bill strengthens federal enforcement of child labor laws and workplace safety protections for young workers. It increases civil and criminal penalties for child labor violations and unsafe working conditions, with significantly higher fines for violations involving workers under 18. For example, civil penalties for oppressive child labor would rise from a maximum of $11,000 to $150,000 per violation, and criminal penalties for knowing violations endangering children could reach 15 years imprisonment. The bill also expands "hot goods" provisions that prevent the shipment of goods produced by child labor and enables workers to sue employers privately for violations.
To support enforcement, the bill creates a National Advisory Committee on Child Labor to advise the Department of Labor and establishes a dedicated fund for child labor and safety investigations using collected penalties. It requires the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services to conduct coordinated research on child labor and young workers' occupational injuries, develop comprehensive statistics on child employment, and create public education and training programs. The bill also streamlines the process for updating hazardous occupation standards and prevents rollback of child labor protections. The legislation becomes effective 60 days after enactment.
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