Lawmakers Don't Want Teens Tan, Driving Late or on the Phone
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Tanning beds may soon be off-limits for teens -- as well as driving late and using a mobile phone while behind the wheel.
Teens are the target for several new laws proposed by Texas legislators this year - including tanning, driving limits and mobile phone use.
One bill would ban any driver age 18 or under from using a mobile phone while driving, while a second bill would ban teens from being behind the wheel after 10 p.m. if they have had their driver's license for less than one year.
Another bill would prohibit anyone under 18 from participating in many rodeo activities without the use of a protective helmet.
The proposed law that has drawn the most publicity thus far however is one that would block teens from using tanning beds.
In April, the Texas House tentatively approved a bill that would ban teens under 16 years and 6 months from using a tanning bed. Older teens could use tanning beds with a parent's consent.
Republican Rep. Burt Solomons of Carrollton said he filed the bill because of concerns about skin cancer.
"We are trying to be responsible parents, and we know the science now is that we have more and more cases (of skin cancer) starting at a very early age," said Rep. Burt Solomons, R-Carrollton.
Currently, Texas teenagers between 13 and 18 need parental permission as well as a parent's presence until they are 16.
At least 29 states have passed laws restricting teens from tanning salons.
