← Back to Bills
HR 2327105th CongressSigned into LawHouse

Drive for Teen Employment Act

Policy Area: Labor and Employment
View on Congress.gov
Origin Chamber
House
Last Updated
Mar 23, 2026
Latest Action Date
Oct 31, 1998

Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 105-334.

Official Summary

Drive for Teen Employment Act - Directs the Secretary of Labor to impose certain distance and work-hour restrictions in implementing a specified exemption from the child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 for minors aged 16 through 18 who engage in the operation of automobiles and trucks.

GovScope Watchdog™

AI Government Intelligence™
Executive Summary

The Drive for Teen Employment Act directs the Secretary of Labor to establish specific distance and work-hour restrictions for minors aged 16 through 18 who operate automobiles and trucks. This is done by implementing an exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 related to child labor provisions. The law aims to regulate the working conditions of teenage drivers to ensure safety and compliance with labor standards.

Bottom Line

This law sets rules on how far and how long teenagers aged 16 to 18 can work driving vehicles, modifying child labor regulations to address this specific activity.

Policy Risk Level
🟢 Low
Neutral Risk Assessment
Key Points
  • The Secretary of Labor is tasked with imposing distance and work-hour limits for teen drivers aged 16-18.
  • The law modifies an exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 concerning child labor provisions.
  • The focus is on minors operating automobiles and trucks, aiming to regulate their employment conditions.
Who Benefits?

['Minors aged 16 through 18 employed as drivers of automobiles and trucks', 'Employers who hire teenage drivers under regulated conditions', 'The Department of Labor, which gains clear authority to set specific rules']

Potential Concerns

['Implementation challenges in enforcing distance and work-hour restrictions for teenage drivers', 'Potential administrative costs for the Department of Labor to develop and monitor compliance', 'Balancing regulatory oversight with flexibility for employers and teen workers']

Political Context

The bill was introduced and passed during the 105th Congress and became Public Law No: 105-334 on October 31, 1998. It addresses labor and employment policy by refining child labor exemptions specifically for teenage vehicle operators, reflecting legislative attention to workplace safety and youth employment standards at that time.

Hidden Impact Review

Hidden impact flags detected: 1

GovScope reviewed 1 policy-risk categories. Hover for a quick definition. Click detected flags for bill-specific details.

1 Detected
Detected Flags
Indirect Effects

['Potential improvement in safety outcomes for teenage drivers employed in transportation roles due to regulated work hours and distances.', 'Possible influence on employer hiring practices and scheduling to comply with new labor restrictions.', 'Administrative impact on the Department of Labor related to monitoring and enforcement of the new rules.']

GovScope Watchdog Notes

The bill's text is not provided, limiting detailed analysis of specific provisions. Oversight should focus on how the Department of Labor implements and enforces the distance and work-hour restrictions, including transparency in rulemaking and compliance monitoring. Tracking costs and effectiveness of these regulations will be important for assessing long-term impact.

Passage Likelihood: HighConfidence: 90%Model: gpt-4.1-mini

GovScope Intelligence Roadmap

Future bill intelligence will connect sponsors, committee referrals, related votes, campaign finance, disclosures, and stock trades into one legislative intelligence view.

Enterprise Ready