Senate OKs tanning booth ban for minors
SPRINGFIELD — A proposal to ban minors from tanning booths was sent to Gov. Pat Quinn Monday after the Illinois Senate approved the measure.
The proposal would require that tanning booth users be at least 18 years old. Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno of Lemont pushed for the bill, citing the potential for cancer that comes with exposure to harmful rays in tanning booths.
It was approved by a 34-12 vote.
The ban would not apply to spray-on tans or privately owned tanning beds.
Opponents argued that government should not decide who uses tanning booths.
The American Cancer Society urged Gov. Pat Quinn to sign the bill. The organization stresses that avoiding exposure to ultraviolet radiation, either from sunlight or indoor tanning devices, helps prevent skin cancer, which kills an estimated 360 Illinois residents per year.
Current law requires teenagers to receive parental consent to use a tanning booth.