Senate acts to ban tanning beds for teens

SPRINGFIELD — A suburban lawmaker's proposal to ban minors from tanning booths passed the Illinois Senate by a 42-9 vote Tuesday.

The measure, introduced by Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno of Lemont, would require that tanning booth users be at least 18 years old. Radogno has said the potential for cancer that comes with exposure to harmful rays in tanning booths is behind her push.

The ban would not apply to spray-on tans or privately-owned tanning beds.

Current law requires teenagers to receive parental consent to use a tanning booth.

State Sen. Matt Murphy, a Palatine Republican, said he voted for the ban because parental consent was not being properly enforced.

“We have had de facto license for 14 to 17 year olds to go in there without parental consent the way it's been applied,” Murphy said. “Let's make a clean break. It's not being monitored the way it is, and I think parents would like a little bit of help making sure their kids stay safe with this.”

Among the dissenters was state Sen. Tom Cullerton, a Villa Park Democrat, who said he supported the current system of allowing teenagers to tan provided they had parental consent.

“We seem to have a tendency to constantly overregulate,” Cullerton said.

He added if the bill banned minors under 16 he would have voted for it.

The measure now moves on to the Illinois House. The House passed a similar proposal in March.