| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to public K-12 educational instruction; |
| 3 | creating s. 1003.4205, F.S.; providing a popular name; |
| 4 | providing legislative intent; requiring the provision of |
| 5 | instruction regarding sun safety and skin protection; |
| 6 | providing requirements for such instruction; providing an |
| 7 | effective date. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | WHEREAS, melanoma is the most common cancer in young adults |
| 10 | aged 25 to 29 and the leading cancer killer of women aged 30 to |
| 11 | 35, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, sunburn during childhood and intense intermittent |
| 13 | unprotected sun exposure increases the risk of melanoma and |
| 14 | other skin cancers, and |
| 15 | WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society found that less than |
| 16 | one-third of children aged 11 to 18 use any form of sun |
| 17 | protection, and |
| 18 | WHEREAS, almost three-quarters of youth report getting |
| 19 | sunburned during summer months, more than one-third of whom used |
| 20 | a sunscreen, and |
| 21 | WHEREAS, over 95,000 new cases of melanoma are estimated |
| 22 | for 2004, with melanoma-based deaths occurring at the rate of |
| 23 | one per hour, and |
| 24 | WHEREAS, Florida has the second highest incidence of |
| 25 | melanoma in the nation, and |
| 26 | WHEREAS, melanoma claimed the life of Cynthia M. Disman at |
| 27 | the age of 30, leaving behind a bereft husband and two |
| 28 | preschool-aged sons, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 29 |
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| 30 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 31 |
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| 32 | Section 1. Section 1003.4205, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 33 | to read: |
| 34 | 1003.4205 Required instruction in sun safety and skin |
| 35 | protection.-- |
| 36 | (1) This section may be cited as the "Cynthia Disman |
| 37 | Melanoma Prevention Act." |
| 38 | (2) The Legislature recognizes that most melanomas are |
| 39 | preventable. It further recognizes the correlation between |
| 40 | childhood sun exposure and the development of melanomas in |
| 41 | adults. It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that |
| 42 | children are educated about the preventable causes of melanoma |
| 43 | and actions that students may take to protect themselves. |
| 44 | (3)(a) Each district school board shall make provision for |
| 45 | instruction regarding sun safety and skin protection within the |
| 46 | district school board's student progression plan. Such |
| 47 | instruction shall be offered at the elementary, middle, and |
| 48 | secondary school levels. The instruction may be offered within |
| 49 | health, science, comprehensive health education, life management |
| 50 | skills, or physical education courses. The instruction may be |
| 51 | conveyed to students in print or electronically. |
| 52 | (b) Instruction regarding sun safety and skin protection |
| 53 | shall include, but not be limited to, risk factors for melanoma, |
| 54 | sources of ultraviolet rays, and measures to prevent skin |
| 55 | cancer. Measures to prevent skin cancer shall include, but not |
| 56 | be limited to, avoiding sun exposure during certain daylight |
| 57 | hours and wearing appropriate clothing, including hats, to |
| 58 | protect the skin from sun exposure. Specific instruction shall |
| 59 | be provided regarding the proper application of sunscreen and |
| 60 | intervals at which sunscreen must be reapplied to maintain skin |
| 61 | protection. |
| 62 | Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |