Beyer, Boebert Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Protections for Child Actors and Performers

U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO) today introduced the bipartisan Kids Safety on Set Act to implement mandatory criminal background checks for entertainment professionals who have supervisory roles over or spend significant time with minors and impose penalties on productions that fail to comply.

"Children across the entertainment industry have been vulnerable to mistreatment and abuse for far too long, and as the entertainment industry continues to grow, we need basic federal protections to keep child performers safe. Child performers deserve safe work environments where they can focus on performing," said Congressman Beyer. "Schools protect children by mandating all personnel pass a criminal background check and our bill follows that same model. The safety and wellbeing of children is our priority, whether they are at school or at work."

"Working in a secure and productive environment is everyone's right. It's long past due that we modernize on-set safeguards. I'm proud to co-sponsor this commonsense, bi-partisan legislation," said Congresswoman Boebert.

This legislation would require individuals working on entertainment industry projects to complete and successfully pass a criminal background check if they have supervisory duties or compulsory authority over minors that are not their child or ward, or if their work involves frequent or private interaction with minors. The criminal background check must be completed within 90 days before beginning work on or taking ownership of the project, would screen for offenses involving minors, and would be paid for by the production company or entertainment industry entity.

The bill also requires the Attorney General to seek an ex-parte temporary restraining order to halt any production that employs a professional who fails to complete or pass the required criminal background check, followed by a preliminary or permanent injunction to maintain the suspension. The production would remain suspended until the employee completes the required background check or is terminated. The Attorney General would also be authorized to impose a civil monetary penalty of up to twice the cost of producing the project involving the unauthorized employee. For individuals with ownership stakes, the bill mandates that their equity interest be reduced to 2% or less and that their physical access to production sets be permanently revoked if they fail to meet these basic safety standards.

Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Congresswoman Young Kim (R-CA) are original co-sponsors of the Kids Safety on Set Act.

This legislation is also supported by SAG-AFTRA, The BizParentz Foundation, and Hire Survivors Hollywood.

Full text of the Kids Safety on Set Act is available here, with a section by section analysis here, and a one-pager here.