Sponsors (2)
The bill expands access to sunscreen and sun-safety education in parks and studies environmental impacts to protect visitors and ecosystems, but it may shift costs onto agencies or taxpayers, constrain product choice for some consumers, and invite private branding in public spaces.
Park visitors (including parents, children, seniors, and rural visitors) would have greater on-site access to sunscreen and sun-protective clothing at National Park Service sites, reducing immediate risk of sunburn and long-term skin cancer risk.
Visitors and the general public would receive clearer education and outreach about proper sunscreen use, reapplication, shade use, and protective clothing, improving protective behavior during park visits and beyond.
Studying environmental impacts of sunscreen formulations would help protect park ecosystems (e.g., reefs and sensitive habitats) by guiding use toward reef-safe or less harmful mineral formulations.
Taxpayers and park programs could face new costs or reallocation of NPS funds to supply free or stocked sunscreen, potentially reducing funding available for other park maintenance or programs.
Low-income consumers and some park visitors could face higher out-of-pocket costs or fewer product choices if policy emphasis or procurement favors non-nanosized/mineral (reef-safe) sunscreens that are pricier or less available.
Relying on public-private partnerships to supply or sponsor sunscreen could introduce commercial influence, branding, or perceived commercialization of park spaces that some visitors may oppose.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires the NPS to report within one year on options to provide mineral-based broad-spectrum sunscreen and other sun-protection in national parks and to recommend legislation.
Official title: To direct the National Park Service to pursue options for the provision of mineral-based, broad-spectrum sunscreen or other protective methods at low or no cost in national parks, and for other purposes.
Introduced August 24, 2026 by Debbie Dingell · Last progress August 24, 2026
Requires the National Park Service to report within one year on options to provide mineral-based broad-spectrum sunscreen and other sun-protection methods at low or no cost to visitors in national parks. The report must evaluate delivery options (public-private and nonprofit partnerships, use of unobligated funds, etc.), environmental impacts of any sunscreen provided, equitable usability across skin tones, outreach plans to increase visitor awareness, and legislative recommendations to support expansion of sun-protection options.