Gov. Chris Christie has signed legislation that bars anyone under 17 from using tanning beds in New Jersey and anyone under 14 from getting a spray tan.
But the measure signed Monday night does allow 17-year-olds to use a tanning salon, provided their parent or guardian accompanies them to their first visit and gives their consent.
The legislation was developed after a northern Jersey mom was charged with child endangerment in April 2012 for allegedly bringing her then-5-year-old daughter into a tanning booth. But a grand jury declined to indict the woman in February.
In a signing statement that accompanied the bill, Christie cited the "documented and well-understood" risks associated with the misuse of indoor tanning systems as a main reason for signing the legislation.
