WPTV is committed to Protecting Paradise. We are focused on environmental issues with a goal of helping to bring awareness to existing problems and search for workable solutions. Have a story idea? Email us at paradise@wptv.com
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-- Sunscreen bans would be banished, if a new Florida bill continues to advance.
☀️SPECIAL COVERAGE: Protecting Paradise☀️
Monday afternoon the Senate Committee for Innovation, Industry, and Technology approved S-B 172. It would prevent local governments from banning over-the-counter sunscreen sales.
Key West recently outlawed certain types of sunscreens, worried the chemicals were harmful to the environment.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Rob Bradley, said not enough research has been done to prove those impacts.
The Republican from Orange Park said melanoma concerns should come first. “We should be encouraging people to use sunscreen not discourage it. That’s why the doctors who deal with skin cancer are in favor of this bill."
Senators advanced the bill-- eight to two. It previously passed the Community Affairs Committee last month. The policy now has to get through the Rules Committee before reaching the Senate floor.
