In the eleventh hour, Florida legislators passed a measure that includes language which allows children to possess and use sunscreen while on school property or at a school-sponsored event or activity without a note from a physician. With Gov. Rick Scott’s signature, Florida joined Alabama, Arizona, Utah and Washington as states that have passed SUNucate in 2017.

“I’m extremely proud that our state has made protecting kids from skin cancer a priority,” says Dr. Terrence Cronin, Jr., MD, a native Floridian and the author of our first post. “This is a commonsense solution that will increase access to sunscreen in our schools and lead to more regular use of sunscreen by our children.”

Additionally, since our last post, legislators in Ohio and New Jersey have also introduced versions of SUNucate. Other states that are still considering legislation include: Louisiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.

“It is excellent that state legislatures around the country have been so receptive to our issues,” said ASDSA President Thomas E. Rohrer, MD. “We still have a lot of work to do to ensure that all children in the United States have access to adequate protective measures such as sunscreen and sun-protective clothing.”

To get your state SUNucated, contact your state legislator and ask them to support legislation that helps remove barriers to important sun-protection measures! Contact us if you are interested in more information on how you can be involved in SUNucate efforts.