Ohio bill would restrict minors' use of tanning beds
Senate Bill 25, sponsored by Sen. Terry Johnson (R-Portsmouth), would prohibit children under 16 from using a sunbed at a 'tanning facility.' Under current state law, those under 16 years old can use a tanning bed if they have parental consent in the form of a signature prior to each session, and the guardian is present at the facility while the child is tanning.
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Introduced in late January, the bill would also add restrictions for those who are above 16 but under 18. Currently, those between 16 and 18 also must get parental consent. However, the consent becomes valid for 90 days and the parent is not required to stay during the session. SB 25 would change that, requiring those between 16 and 18 to get parental consent every time they use a tanning bed, and the guardian would be required to stay at the facility each time.
Twenty states and the District of Columbia ban all minors from using indoor tanning beds, and 44 states, including Ohio, have some restrictions for minors, according to a 2023 report from the AIM at Melanoma foundation.
Johnson introduced a similar bill in the last General Assembly that would have banned all minors from using tanning beds at salons had it passed. While the bill had multiple public hearings, it did not reach the point of receiving a vote before the legislative session ended.
'According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, almost 33% of those who use tanning beds first began their use before the age of 18,' Johnson said in 2023 testimony for his former bill. 'The ultraviolet light from tanning beds is a known carcinogen. Exposure to this harmful UV light at a young age can increase the risk of developing many types of skin cancer, including melanoma.'
The prior bill received proponent testimony from nine healthcare professionals, who cited similar concerns about how tanning beds contribute to skin cancer. One study observing 63 women diagnosed with melanoma before age 30 found that 61 of them, or 97%, used tanning beds, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation.
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The past legislation faced two opponents – a coalition of tanning facilities and Palm Beach Tan, a salon with dozens of locations across Ohio.
In opponent testimony for the former bill, Jill Frank, director of operations with Palm Beach Tan, stated 41% of all sunbed usage occurs in homes, apartment complexes and gyms – and that legislation addressing salons will not change that.
'In other words, passage of this bill would simply drive those who want to use sunbeds into those non-salon units that won't be covered by ANY law, where no professional operator sets the exposure time like my staff does,' Frank said. 'So there is no doubt passage of those bills would INCREASE sunburn – not decrease it.'
SB 25 was assigned to the Senate's Health Committee and awaits its first hearing.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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