Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont (D) signed SB 178 into law. The Act requires barbering, hairdressing and cosmetology school curriculums to “include education and training in the provision of services to individuals with textured hair, including, but not limited to, working with various curl and wave patterns, hair strand thicknesses and volumes of hair.” It states that the Commissioner of Public Health, in consultation with the Connecticut Examining Board for Barbers, Hairdressers and Cosmeticians, shall post such curriculum on the Department of Public Health's website.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) vetoed HB 133 last week. The bipartisan measure, which received unanimous approval by the House and Senate, would have reduced the look back timeframe for using a criminal conviction as grounds for denying a barbering, or cosmetology, license from five years to three years.
In his veto letter, Governor DeSantis said “CS/HB 133 singles out cosmetologist and barber applicants from a list of 14 types of business license applicants to change the licensing board's process of review of criminal records. The bill categorically prohibits the board from considering an applicant's criminal history within three years of the application for a license, but there may be good reason for the board to have this information before making a decision regarding a particular applicant.”
Governor DeSantis signed SB 1600 – the Mobile Opportunity by Interstate Licensure Endorsement Act – into law last week. The measure will require Boards in the Department of Professional Regulation (DBPR), including the state’s Cosmetology and Barbering Boards, to allow licensure by endorsement if the applicant meets the following criteria:
- Holds a valid, current license to practice the profession issued by another state or territory of the U.S. for at least five years before the date of application and be applying for the same or similar Florida license;
- Submits an application either:
- When the license in another state or territory is active; or
- Within two years after such license was last active;
- Has passed the recognized national licensing exam, if the exam is established as a requirement for licensure in the profession;
- Has no pending disciplinary actions and all sanctions for any prior disciplinary actions have been satisfied;
- Shows proof of compliance with any federal regulation, training, or certification, if the board or the DBPR requires such proof, regarding licensure in the profession;
- Has completed Florida-specific continuing education courses or passed a jurisprudential examination specific to the state laws and rules for the applicable profession as established by the board or the DBPR; and
- Has complied with any insurance or bonding requirements as required for the profession.
Michigan The House of Representatives passed HB 5684 by a vote of 106 to 4 and HB 5683 by a vote of 107 to 3 last week. As previously reported, HB 5684 would allow licensees to perform: exfoliation (limited to the stratum corneum) using a product, chemical, mechanical device, electrical service, or class 1 medical device; dermaplaning or microdermabrasion; non-medical grade hydodermabrasion and chemical peels; high-frequency treatments with documented training; eyebrow and eyelash services, and; facial cupping.
The companion bill – HB 5683 – would exempt these services from the state’s practice of medicine.
According to the bills’ official Legislative Analysis, “the Board of Cosmetology has proposed rule changes that would limit the scope of practice of estheticians to narrowly include what is allowed by statute, unless they are supervised by a physician. The bills are intended to expand the scope of practice to include the services that would be removed by the proposed rules.”
Both measures have been transmitted to the Senate and referred to the Regulatory Affairs Committee.
New Jersey A4587 was passed by the legislature only 11 days after introduction. The bill would increase the hours required to obtain licensure as a teacher in cosmetology-hairstyling or as a massage and bodywork therapist. According to the measure’s official statement, “current regulation for cosmetology-hairstyling and current law for massage and bodywork therapy requires 500 hours. This bill increases each requirement to 600 hours. The increase allows individuals seeking the respective license to qualify for certain federal aid.”
The Assembly vote was 67 to 7 and the Senate vote was unanimous, 40 to 0. Once enrolled, A4587 will be transmitted to Governor Phil Murphy for signature into law.
Assemblyman Sterley Stanley, the Chair of the Assembly Regulated Professions Committee, and two other legislators, introduced a Cosmetology Licensure Compact bill last week. A4630 has been referred to the Assembly Regulatory Professions Committee.
North Carolina Last week, the House Regulatory Reform Committee substantially revised SB 607 to include language to exempt persons expressly confined to the shampooing and blow drying of hair from barbering and cosmetology licensure. The multi-occupational licensure reform bill also includes language to increase the course of instruction for massage therapy from 500 to 650 hours.
The House subsequently passed the bill 63 to 37. A day later on June 27th, the Senate voted 30 to 13 to concur in Senate amendments and transmit the bill to Governor Roy Cooper (D).
The House voted 109 to 0 last week to pass SB 640. The measure, which would require occupational licensing board members to receive training in antitrust law and state action immunity as part of their required biennial training, also includes language to increase the course of instruction for massage therapy from 500 to 650 hours. The bill has been returned to the Senate to address House amendments.
Pennsylvania The Senate voted unanimously last week to pass a bill that would completely deregulate natural hair braiding in the Keystone State. Under current law, natural hair braiders must complete 300 hours of instruction at a cosmetology school prior to examination and licensing. SB 1031 has been transmitted to the House and referred to the chamber’s Professional Licensure Committee. The Senate Appropriations Committee cleared HB 327 for consideration on the Senate floor. The measure would allow licensed barbers – in addition to manager-barbers – to become a barbering teacher, lower the minimum age to take the barber-teacher’s license examination from 23 to 18, and reduce the minimum teacher’s training hours from 1,250 hours to 500 hours. According to the bill’s fiscal note, “the training shall be limited to teaching methods and does not need to be specifically related to barbering. An individual currently holding both a cosmetology license and a barber's license may obtain a barber-teacher license if the individual completes the training and examination required for licensure as either a barber-teacher or a cosmetology teacher. Barber-teachers currently licensed in another state may obtain a license in Pennsylvania without an exam upon payment of the necessary fee. The bill would also allow a barber-teacher to supervise non-licensed individuals to shampoo hair.” | 
