The TanWall Blog

Well, this can often happen when one state starts a legal precedent: to put it simply, other states are now considering the teen tanning ban.

Last Sunday, governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that banned anyone under 18 from using a tanning bed. Now other states, specifically Ohio,  New York, Illinois and Rhode Island are considering a similar bill. Naturally there are all sorts of opinions for and against the possible measure, and there are definitely some interesting perspectives represented in the above-linked article.

This is definitely troubling news for many tanning businesses that depend on a portion of these younger tanners for their income. However there are other salon owners that are coming to terms with the new constraints and are quietly rethinking their business strategies and considering other means of income, such as spray tanning (especially for the younger customers) and red light therapy to make up for lost income. It will be interesting to see what business owners come up with. Some associations, such as the ITA will most likely fight the bills, as they have with the tanning tax, but the tanning tax is still active too, so it would be best to plan on the bans being around for a while if you are in one of the mentioned states (assuming the bills to ban teen tanning are passed).

Speaking of the tanning tax, reports are showing that it is bringing in less income than projected, which was what many opponents predicted when the tax was announced. It looks like the tax is going to bring in around 70 to 75 million in 2011, which is going to fall short of the projected 200 million. Several reasons were given for the shortfall, such as an abrupt announcement of the tax and its subsequent hasty implementation, as well as the confusing nature of its exact application.

Should’ve gone with the botax!

Tanning salon businesses across the nation will feel the effects of the new health care insurance bill as early as July 1, 2010. Indoor tanning salon patrons will soon be charged a 10% tax to help fund the $940 billion health care overhaul.

President Barak Obama signed the new law into effect only yesterday, marking a pivotal, and surely controversial, moment in our present history. The controversy is mainly fueled by unclear, and seemingly miscalculated—or at least under-estimated—budget cuts and tax increases; not to mention measures to impose insurance coverage on those who choose not to carry any, the banning of insurance companies to deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, the banning of insurance companies to drop coverage of an individual due to severe illness, and banning limits on lifetime or annual benefits. Read more…