(Des Moines) Iowans may soon need parental consent to use tanning services.
The state House has approved a bill that mandates tanning salons to inform parents about the risks of skin cancer associated with UV tanning and to obtain parental permission for individuals under 18 years old. This legislation is now awaiting consideration by the Senate, which will decide whether to move it forward or reject it.
During the floor debate on Monday, Rep. Josh Turek, D-Pottawattamie, referenced the state’s cancer statistics, highlighting Iowa as the only state with an increasing cancer rate and noting it has the fifth-highest rate of melanoma, with approximately 16,000 cases diagnosed each year. He emphasized that Iowa is one of just six states without any restrictions regarding tanning for minors. The Iowa Cancer Registry anticipates that skin melanoma will rank as the fifth leading cause of new cancer cases in the state this year. Violators of this policy could face fines of up to $1,000. House File 524 is now set to move to the Senate for further review. Should it pass this stage, it will then be sent to the governor for final approval.
In another development, state lawmakers are proposing that companies repay tax credits in light of layoffs. This bill would require businesses, including John Deere, to return funds received from the state Research Activities tax credit after executing mass layoffs in 2024. If enacted, the law would have a retroactive start date of January 1, 2024.
