This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Senate indicated its strong support Monday for a bill that would require in-person parental consent for teens to use tanning beds. The Senate lent its unanimous approval to the bill on a preliminary vote. The final vote is expected to take place today. The bill, sponsored by Holladay Democratic Sen. Patricia Jones, would require parents to go to the tanning salons with their teens at least once a year, read a health warning and then sign a consent form. The parents could restrict the number of visits their teen could participate in. "This is to protect our children from some of the harmful UV rays in tanning beds," Jones said. Utah ranks in the top five states for skin cancer rates. Rays from tanning beds are at least two times more intense than the summer sun. Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, supports an all-out ban for teens, but said he would support Jones' bill and push to strengthen the restrictions in the future. - Matt Canham
SB52 Would require parental consent for minors patronizing tanning salons.
Next step: Final Senate vote expected today.
