California Govt. Targets Child Actors

With California swimming in $24 billion of red ink, many of the peoples’ elected representatives are seeking to raise scores of fees and taxes to close the gap.  So, after voting to raise the highest income tax in America even higher, the highest state sales tax rate in America even higher, almost doubling the car tax, and cutting the child tax credit by $200, Sacramento Democrats now want to charge children $100 a year to work in Hollywood.  

A 10-year-old California law makes parents of children desiring to work in the entertainment field gather information from one part of government to present to another part of government to obtain a permission slip to work.  Now, this paper shuffle adds little to nothing of value – no added safety for children or oversight of employers.  But, rather than terminate this self-perpetuating paperwork drill, Democrats what to charge for it – taxing minors who want to work before they even work an hour. 

This Kafkaesque scenario is almost reality in the form of Assembly Bill 402 (AB 402) in Sacramento.  As summarized by the Assembly Republican Caucus bill analysis, AB 402, “Requires a fee of $50 to be submitted at the time a minor applies for an Entertainment Work Permit in order to offset the costs of administering the Entertainment Work Permit program.”  In other words, AB 402 is the ultimate in self-sustaining bureaucracy.  You need government permission to work and the government will only give you permission if you pay for it. 

The stated purpose of the bill, curiously supported by the Screen Actors Guild, is to increase protections for children working in the entertainment industry.  The main intended protection is to ensure compliance with the Coogan Act, a 1999 law designed to set aside a portion of a minor’s earnings until age 18.   (more…)