Senate Passes Bill That Bans Certain Tattoos, Body Markings

Goodbye freedom of expression, hello Arkansas Senate bill that bans non-traditional body art and skin implants.

The Arkansas Senate passed a tattoo restriction and body modification bill in March that bans certain types of body markings. The bill passed with a Senate vote of 26-4.

The bill is sponsored by Mountain View, Arkansas Senator Missy Irvin and limits scarification and dermal implants.

Scarification is the process by which a persons skin is burned to form a tattoo without ink. Dermal implants place ornaments under a persons skin.

The bill is not guaranteed as it now passes in front of the House of Representatives.

Not surprisingly, the bill has drawn the ire of opponents who believe the US government is once against overstepping its power. The bill was introduced months ago but an increasing number of opponents are now stepping forward to make sure it is shelved for good.

News reports have been isolated mostly to niche websites, which have placed a call to action against the law.

While scarification and dermal implants have their own set of risks, it’s still unclear why Missy Irvin has decided to focus specifically on those procedures.

I don’t see the big deal. In fact, dermal implants can be used to hold your iPod when they are magnetic in nature.

Do you think attempting to ban scarification and dermal implants is wrong on the part of the Arkansas Senate? Should we be able to make our own decisions about our own bodies?

The bill also introduced a measure that requires all incidents of underage tattooing to be reported to the state Health Department. In Arkansas you must be 18 or older to receive a tattoo and 16 or older to receive a cover-up.

Update: This article accidentally listed Missy Irvin in Mountain View, California when it fact she is in Mountain View, Arkansas where the bill was placed with the Arkansas senate for state approval. Sorry for any confusion!