California Nearing Under-18 Ban

By Rebecca Pray

For years, proposed state legislation has threatened to limit tanners’ rights across the nation. While various measures have been passed – including age restrictions, parental consent laws and doctor’s prescription requirements – no state has passed a full-fledged under-18 ban.

Unfortunately, California is moving in that direction. SB 746, a measure introduced earlier this year, has passed a series of votes in the State Senate and the Assembly. Every indication is that the bill is now headed to Governor Brown, where a final signature would establish the bill as California state law.

Currently the Filante Tanning Facility Act of 1988 governs California salons, with regulation being handled by the Department of Consumer Affairs. This law calls for parental consent for tanners ages 14 to 18, with those younger than 14 being prohibited from UV tanning.

We often hear salon owners taking a blasé attitude toward proposed under-18 legislation; whether that’s because no states have yet passed these restrictions, or the salons don’t have a large under-18 clientele so they don’t anticipate much repercussion, it makes no difference. Salons cannot afford to be complacent regarding these matters. Any legislation that limits consumers’ rights to tan – particularly for older teenagers who have parental consent – simply opens the door for more restrictions to come.

As an industry, we need to take ownership of the fight to allow responsible consumers to obtain professional tanning services if they so desire. The collective voices of an area's business owners can be very influential on a lawmaker. For more information on 2011 state legislative efforts, visit the Indoor Tanning Association’s website, www.theita.com, and click on the link about state legislation. In addition to a list of pending (and defeated) bills, there are also resources to aid industry professionals and tanning customers in contacting their state officials regarding pending legislation.

In my opinion, if a state as large and liberal as California passes an under-18 ban, it could be the tipping point for the whole nation to follow suit. As quickly as the tan tax came in and impacted salons, we can't plead ignorance when teen tan bans do the same.

Rebecca Pray is the program administrator for the National Tanning Training Institute (NTTI), which provides online tanning certification 24/7 with no membership fee. Visit the NTTI website, www.tanningtraining.com, for more info.