By ALLISON LANDRY
Capital News Service
RICHMOND, Va. – A bill to ban minors 14 and younger from tanning at a tanning salon has been killed for this legislative session.
The House Committee on Commerce and Labor voted Thursday that Senate Bill 1274 be “passed by indefinitely,” meaning it won’t go any further. The bill, sponsored by Sen. George Barker, D-Alexandria, previously had passed the Senate, 34-5.
Virginia is one of 19 states that have considered indoor tanning legislation this year, according to AIM at Melanoma, a foundation that promotes prevention and research involving skin cancer.
Virginia’s current law, which took effect in 2007, states that to use a tanning facility, minors under 15 must get written permission from a parent or legal guardian every six months.
Barker’s legislation would have banned minors under 15 from using tanning salons at all. And it would have required 15-, 16- and 17-year-olds to obtain parental or guardian consent before visiting a tanning parlor.
Barker said he plans to propose similar legislation next session. He said tanning should be recognized as a health risk just as dangerous as smoking or drinking.
“We already do have a number of things where we say that the dangers are significant enough that we will prohibit it for minors and other types that we restrict with parental consent and that sort of thing,” Barker said.
“I think part of the issue is getting the members of the House of Delegates committee comfortable that this is in a similar category in terms of danger.”
According to Barker, the House Committee on Commerce and Labor “knows that there is some damage that clearly occurs with tanning beds. But the members of the committee may not understand the science behind it as they do with cigarettes and alcohol.”
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FREE Leadership Sessions will be conducted at the George Mason University –Arlington Campus for High School Latinas. The program runs from Monday 7/15 through Friday 7/19 from 10:00AM to 3:00PM EST each day (1-week).
Las sesiones de liderazgo GRATUITAS se llevarán a cabo en el campus de George Mason University – Arlington para latinas de secundaria. El programa se desarrollará desde el lunes 15 de julio hasta el viernes 19 de julio, de 10:00 a.m. a 3:00 p.m. EST cada dĂa (1 semana).
Our goal is to equip students with the fundamentals of self-promotion and guide them in shaping their personal brand for future success. What sets this program apart is its integration of self-awareness activities and mentorship by seasoned professionals.
Sessions begin with a thorough assessment of leadership dynamics on July 15th, participants delve into the intricacies of personal branding and etiquette on July 16th, followed by practical guidance on crafting compelling LinkedIn profiles and resumes on July 17th. July 18th emphasizes the art of storytelling through personal statements, while July 19th culminates in portfolio presentations, allowing participants to showcase their newfound skills. The program concludes on July 20th with a memorable graduation ceremony, celebrating the accomplishments of the ELITE Academy’s graduates and their journey towards leadership excellence.
