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Tougher Penalties Proposed For Tattooing Minors

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The Associated Press

Published: April 1, 2009

TALLAHASSEE - Tattoo artists who ink up minors without first checking if Mom or Dad said OK could spend up to five years in prison.

A House committee today approved a bill (HB 1343) that would make it a third-degree felony to tattoo someone under 18 years old without parental consent. It is currently just a misdemeanor.

Rep. Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach, says the penalty should be steeper because getting a tattoo is a "risky procedure" due to chemicals found in the ink used in tattoos.

"It's foolish for anyone to get a tattoo," Brandenburg said.

There are about 800 tattoo parlors in Florida but parlors are not heavily regulated. Tattoo artists must either be a physician, dentist or work "under the general supervision" of a physician.

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