State Rep To Offer Jon & Kate Child Law

PHILADELPHIA - A Pennsylvania state rep will introduce a new child-labor law on Thursday inspired by Jon and Kate Gosselin.

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Rep. Thomas P. Murt of Montgomery County says the law is regarding Child Labor Laws related to the entertainment industry and based on April's Republican Policy Committee hearing on child labor.

Much of the focus of that hearing was on Jon and Kate Gosselin, TLC and witnesses who alleged that children were being exploited by such TV shows.

Right after the hearing, the state said the Gosselins and TLC didn't break any laws filing the show in Wernersville, Pa., and areas near Philadelphia, but they also needed to file some additional permits.

Murt says House Bill 2515 will propose "that advocates for minors to ensure their health, education, and moral safety are on all production sets."

The bill restricts work hours of minors to between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

It also requires all minors to have a work permits issued by the Department of Labor and Industry, and that 15 percent of a minor’s gross earnings shall be set aside by the employer in a trust for the minor.

Murt's hearing on April 14 drew some national press and some allegations from the Gosselin's relatives.

Lawyer Gloria Allred, child advocate Paul Petersen, and Gosselin relatives Kevin and Jodi Kreider testified, along with state labor-law enforcement officials

Murt said at the time he was concerned as a parent and also a certified teacher, and that the current Pennsylvania Child Labor Law is outdated.

“To put it bluntly, reality TV is not reality. It may be 50 percent, I’m not sure what percentage it might be, but reality TV is really not an accurate moniker,” Murt said.

“The entertainment industry has evolved and changed, and we believe our child-labor laws in Pennsylvania have not been updated in many, many years. With the advent of reality television programs, we believe we need to look hard at child-labor laws, to make sure children who participate in reality television programs are protected,” Murt said.

In general terms, the Kreiders said “reality TV” has changed over the past 10 years.

“Reality TV isn’t always reality TV. You don’t understand that. We have watched shows we liked in the past and it kind of puts a damper on it. Reality TV today really isn’t reality. And that’s the sad part. These kids are actually being scripted and it becomes more of a job, rather than their reality,” said Kevin Kreider.

Pennsylvania’s Child Labor Law does provide for the possibility of fines and even jail time, depending on which parts of the code are violated.

Pennsylvania state law permits children who are at least 7 years old to work in the entertainment industry, as long as a permit is obtained and certain rules are followed. The law also allows performers younger than 7 to have "temporary employment ... in the production of a motion picture."