France's proposed ban on underweight models could include jail time

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published 7 April 2015

The fashion industry has long tried to crack down on underweight and underage models, and a proposed law in France is the latest step.

France's lower house of Parliament passed a bill Friday requiring models to provide bills of health, including their body mass index (BMI), to modeling agencies before being hired. The bill would require models to have a BMI greater than 18.

According to the bill, casting directors from modeling agencies who knowingly hire underweight models could face six months in prison or an $82,000 fine, People reports. The bill also includes language about punishing owners of pro-anorexia websites. France's upper house of Parliament will vote on the bill on April 14.