A Critical Look at a New Iowa Law Allowing Minors to Serve Alcohol

In the never-ending tug-of-war of today’s charged political climate, the child labor discussion has been caught right in the crosshairs. While the Biden administration promised to crack down on child labor law violations (with varying degrees of success), more states continue making it easier for children to work. Because of this, the opportunity to exploit a progressively younger workforce will continue to grow. Amidst this backdrop, this article focuses particularly on a new Iowa law that expands child labor across the state. While there are many states seeking to roll back child labor law protections, Iowa’s new law seems to be the most expansive, dangerous for children, and appears to knowingly violate federal labor laws concerning how long and in what occupation children can work. To explore Iowa’s new child labor law, it is important to begin with a google-earth type approach by looking at the broad history of child labor in the United States. Accompanying this is a brief summary of the fight to establish initial safeguards and protections for working children. After discussing this fight and in viewing the current cultural climate, it seems the Biden administration is pitted against the many states who want more expansive child labor laws. Then, zooming further into a new expansive Iowa law passed in the summer of 2023, this note focuses on one shocking provision in particular. In light of this discussion, suggestions will be made for what can be improved moving forward.