Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Business & Financial Services Committee

HB 1038

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Requiring the department of licensing to adopt rules regarding online learning for training in cosmetology, manicuring, barbering, esthetics, and instruction.

Sponsors: Representative Ryu.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Requires the Department of Licensing (Department) to adopt rules regarding distance or online learning in the areas of cosmetology, manicuring, barbering, esthetics, and instructor-training.

Hearing Date: 1/16/13

Staff: Jon Hedegard (786-7127).

Background:

A barber license allows the cutting, trimming, arranging, dressing, curling, shampooing, shaving, and mustache and beard design of the face, neck, and scalp.

A manicurist license allows "the cleaning, shaping, polishing, decorating, and caring for and treatment of the cuticles and the nails of the hands or feet, and the application and removal of sculptured or otherwise artificial nails by hand or with mechanical or electrical apparatus or appliances."

An esthetician license allows "the care of the skin by application and use of preparations, antiseptics, tonics, essential oils, or exfoliants, or by any device or equipment, electrical or otherwise, or by wraps, compresses, cleansing, conditioning, stimulation, pore extraction, or product application and removal; the temporary removal of superfluous hair by means of lotions, creams, mechanical or electrical apparatus, appliance, waxing, tweezing, or depilatories; tinting of eyelashes and eyebrows; and lightening the hair, except the scalp, on another person."

A cosmetology license allows for all the practices of the barber, manicurist, and esthetician licenses and, in addition, allows the following practices involving chemicals: permanent waving, chemical relaxing, straightening, bleaching, lightening, and coloring. The license also allows waxing and tweezing. Finally, the cosmetologist license also allows some of the practices permitted for manicurists and estheticians.

To receive a cosmetology, barbering, manicuring, or esthetics license, a person must meet training requirements and pass an exam.

Minimum training hours at a school consist of:

Minimum training hours in an apprenticeship program consist of:

A reciprocity provision allows a person with the equivalent license in another state to take the examination.

The Department of Licensing (Department):

Summary of Bill:

A number of findings are made regarding the value of distance or online learning.

"Distance or online learning" is defined as theory training provided online by a licensed school in the areas of cosmetology, manicuring, barbering, esthetics, and instructor-training.

The Department must adopt rules regarding distance or online learning. The rules must include a limit on the number of hours of online learning that can be used toward licensing requirements in the areas of cosmetology, manicuring, barbering, esthetics, and instructor-training.

The Department must provide an evaluation of distance or online learning in the areas of cosmetology, manicuring, barbering, esthetics, and instructor-training to the Legislature by January 1, 2016.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.