By The Associated Press
No tanning beds for youth
OLYMPIA — Teens under the age of 18 will be banned from using tanning beds in Washington state under a measure signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.
Inslee signed Senate Bill 6065 on Thursday, and it goes into effect in mid-June.
Users of tanning equipment would have to show a driver’s license or other form of government-issued identification with a birth date and photograph.
Tanning facilities that allow people under age 18 to use a tanning device could be fined up to $250 per violation.
The measure allows teenagers to use a tanning bed or related device if they have a doctor’s prescription.
California, Illinois, Nevada, Texas, Vermont and Oregon ban the use of tanning beds for all minors under 18, and at least 33 states and the District of Columbia regulate the use of tanning facilities by minors, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Picking up the tab for tourism
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a bill to allow the private sector to fund statewide tourism marketing in Washington state.
House Bill 2229 was signed by Inslee on Thursday. It passed the Legislature earlier this month.
Money to support tourism marketing and promotion would come from the tourism industry in five key areas: lodging; food service; attractions and entertainment; retail; and transportation.
In an effort to cut the budget in 2011, the Legislature did away with the state tourism office.
Tourism is one of the state’s largest industries, employing nearly 155,000 people, according to the Washington Tourism Alliance, which formed after the state tourism office closed.
The group’s preliminary numbers from 2012 to 2013 indicate that while tourism improved slightly in 2013, the rate of growth has slowed.
