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Minors who want to get a tattoo in Florida may soon be out of luck. State Legislation banning tattoos for kids under 16 is moving in Tallahassee. As Whitney Ray tells us, the legislation would penalize underground tattoo parlors and provide more oversight of the industry.

16 year old Juan Neloms lost his grandmother last year. In honor of her life he got her nickname written on his forearm.

“This is my first tattoo with my grandma’s name, Miss Precious in my heart forever. I got it because she had passed away,” said Neloms.

Juan’s mother had to sign off on the ink job.

All a minor needs to get a tattoo in Florida is a notarized consent form signed by their parents. Still a lot of ink shops won’t do work on minors. It’s a code of ethics most tattoo artists adhere too; still some working underground are drawing on kids as young as “14 year olds and a I know like two 15 year olds,” said Neloms. “The young ones who get them now aren’t going to decent places. They are going to like indoor flea markets.”

State legislation would ban kids under 16 from getting tattoos. The legislation would also require tattoo artists to register with the Department of Health. The Florida Professional Tattoo Artists Guild says the bill would weed out those working in the shadows.

“It’s going to put records in a common place, so if somebody was to call about a tattoo studio or there is a report of a situation with a studio or particular artists, that would go to one central location. It will be documented,” said Bill Hannong, a member of the Guild.

Under the legislation, artists caught tattooing a minor of breaking health codes would be subject to a 1,500 dollar fine for every violation.

The added oversight set up through the legislation would also allow people who get tattoos to give blood. Right now people who get ink done have to wait a year before they can donate.