Session Laws

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to immediately allow children between the ages of nine and eleven to deliver newspapers, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Chapter 149 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 69, as appearing in the 1984 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 69. No boy or girl under twelve shall sell, expose or offer for sale any magazines, periodicals or any other articles of merchandise of any description, or exercise the trade of bootblack or scavenger, or any other trade, in any street or public place.

A boy or girl nine years of age or older may engage or be employed in any city or town in the sale or delivery of newspapers; provided, however, that the publisher or distributor of the newspapers provides the boy or girl with written policies regarding the activities and responsibilities of the boy or girl and of the publisher or distributor; provided, further, that the publisher or distributor provides an orientation and training program for the boy or girl before he or she undertakes responsibility for newspaper sales or delivery; and provided further that the boy or girl provides the publisher or distributor with a written statement of permission to sell or deliver newspapers from a parent or guardian, said parent or guardian having previously reviewed the policies of the newspaper relative to sales or delivery.

No child shall be so employed during the hours that the public schools in the city or town in which such boy or girl resides are in session nor before six o'clock in the morning nor after eight o'clock in the evening.

Any newspaper which willingly and knowingly employs any boy or girl contrary to the provisions of this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than two hundred and fifty nor more than five hundred dollars.