State legislative activity continued at a torrid pace into March with the introduction of new bills in West Virginia, Oregon and Arkansas—bringing the count to 29 bill introduced across 24 states. As with most of the other bills this session, all three involve teen access.
While some state legislatures have been adding to the total, several others have state issues have been resolved. In Kansas, after a hearing, the Public Health and Welfare Committee decided not to follow through with KS 101, which included an under-14 ban. There was a similar outcome in New Mexico regarding S 513 (another under-14 ban). And, in Washington, a legislator had contacted the ITA about introducing a bill early in the session but, ultimately, decided not to do so.
The biggest and most immediate challenges are in Texas and New York, where bans on under-18 tanning are being considered. In the Texas bill, HB 1310, the ban is cloaked in a requirement that everyone under 18 have a doctor’s permission to tan indoors. In New York, S 3461 would simply ban teen tanning outright.
In addition, states that require continued monitoring are Vermont and Maine—under-18 bans have been proposed in both states—and Florida and Massachusetts—where under-16 bans have been proposed.
Some legislatures are already winding down and many will adjourn by the end of June. Unfortunately, half a dozen remain in session all year, which means the industry must remain aware
Here is a recap of everything that has happened to date:
Arkansas
HB 1920: Parental consent under 18
Florida
S 546: Under-16 ban
H 771: Under-16 ban
Hawaii
HB 653: Parental consent under 18
Indiana
H 1573: Additional inspections
Kansas
KS 101: Under-14 ban—Died in committee
Maine
S 137: Doctor’s prescription for under 18
Massachusetts
S 903: Under-16 ban
Mississippi
H 214: Under-14 ban; consent for those aged 14-17 is only valid for 90 days
H 1025: Licensing
