The Capitol Fax Blog » Tattoo artists, rejoice!

Saturday, Feb 26, 2005

I suppose the rationale for the current law is that people shouldn’t be allowed to legally get a tattoo until they can work up the courage by legally getting drunk.

The Illinois House Friday approved a proposal that would allow 18- 19- and 20-year-olds to get tattoos without parental permission.

House Bill 29 also would bar anyone younger than 18 from entering a tattoo parlor or body-piercing shop unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Mitchell, R-Sterling, cleared the House on a 73-35 vote. There was no debate.

At present, anyone younger than 21 may not legally get a tattoo without parental consent.

This story is old, by the way, but I came up with the (allegedly) funny line this week, which is why I’m posting it now.

- posted by Rich Miller

8 Comments

- Anonymous - Saturday, Feb 26, 05 @ 5:45 pm:
Things a 15 year old in Illinois CAN’T do, without parental permission:
———————————–
1. Get a tattoo

Things a 15 year old in Illinois CAN do, without parental permission:
———————————–
1. Get an abortion

That is all.

- Bill Dennis - Sunday, Feb 27, 05 @ 10:35 am:
Yeah. It’s ALL about abortion. I’m going to create a rule about abortion for my blog: Anyone who mentions abortion in a post that ISN’T about abortion will be banned.

- Anonymous - Sunday, Feb 27, 05 @ 4:45 pm:
Actually, you can’t legally get a tattoo in Illinois if you’re under 21 even with a parent’s permission. The tattoo law provides no exemption for parental consent, the piercing law does.

- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 28, 05 @ 6:52 am:
Bill -

I think you are missing the point of the previous poster. I don’t think he’s is making any judgments either way on abortion, he is just try to contrast seemingly inconsistant laws. He just makes two simple statements. And I agree, I think the Illinois legislature is becomin overbearing with these laws (video games, tattoos, etc).

- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 28, 05 @ 11:53 am:
Thing that is red on the outside and white on the inside:
___________________________

1. Apple

Thing that is NOT red on the outside and white on the inside:
___________________________

1. Orange

That is all.

- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 28, 05 @ 2:38 pm:
I dunno…I see his point. The first law seems like micromanagement to me, in contrast to the second law.

I think it is a fair comparison and will use this argument to demonstrate how the Illinois lawmakers sees its citizens.

Although I am sure the lawmakers want us to see them as two different things…

- notquiteright - Wednesday, Mar 2, 05 @ 6:46 pm:
Well, if they can’t play the violent games anymore at least the subject of the tattoos will be all Disney and Tele Tubbies… Thats the way it works isn’t it?

- Mr Peepers - Friday, Mar 25, 05 @ 2:37 pm:
The “21 law” is unconstitutional, so say superior courts across the nation. Like it or not, the art of tattooing is protected under the first amendment. Illinois is the only state backward enough to still have an age discrimination law on the books! The Senate let a similar bill die last session. They will let HB0029 die too, if people don’t give them a call! Here are a few good resourse sites:
Senate info: http://www.ilga.gov/
www.aclu.org (type in tattoo)
Power to the people!

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