04/11/1996 02:55 PM Senate L&C

                                                                               
                HB  73 LICENSURE OF MANICURISTS                               
                                                                              
 SENATOR KELLY announced  HB 73  to be up for consideration.                   
                                                                               
 Number 375                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE TOM BRICE, sponsor, said HB 73 adds to the list of             
 jobs that the Board of Barbers and Hairdressers oversees is the               
 practice of manicure, mostly for health concerns.  Alaska is one of           
 the eight states nationwide that have no oversight whatsoever on              
 the industry.                                                                 
                                                                               
 SENATOR KELLY asked if the apprenticeship requirement was existing            
 law.  REPRESENTATIVE BRICE replied that other states require a                
 certain number of hours before a person can be licensed and this is           
 usually done within the course of their education so those                    
 requirements are addressed through the schooling they receive.                
                                                                               
 SENATOR KELLY asked if there was a grandfather clause.                        
 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE replied yes there was in section 20.                     
                                                                               
 SENATOR KELLY asked why this was needed.  REPRESENTATIVE BRICE                
 replied that a number of constituents were concerned over the                 
 public health issue.                                                          
                                                                               
 SENATOR KELLY asked if there was a requirement for schooling.                 
 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE answered yes and those standards are                     
 established by the Board of Barbers and Hairdressers.                         
                                                                               
 MARY JO BURNS, Douglas resident, said her daughter's concern was              
 the schools of cosmetology would be the only place to learn how to            
 do this.  It didn't take very long to learn and a school would cost           
 money and take time.                                                          
                                                                               
 SENATOR KELLY noted that an apprenticeship is 350 hours.                      
 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE said that student permits are allowed so they            
 can practice and receive funds from that.                                     
                                                                               
 SENATOR TORGERSON asked on page 7, line 29 if someone currently in            
 the practice has 180 days to comply with the act which would mean             
 that she has to prove she has 350 hours of work.  REPRESENTATIVE              
 BRICE said that referred to people who do not currently hold a                
 license recognized by the Board of Barbers and Hairdressers.  Those           
 who hold a license recognized by the Board of Barbers and                     
 Hairdressers basically show their license.                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR KELLY asked if there was such a thing as a manicuring                 
 license right now?  REPRESENTATIVE BRICE answered no.                         
                                                                               
 SENATOR TORGERSON said it didn't sound to him like it was a                   
 grandfathering; it sounded like they had 180 days to get show that            
 you have the hours.  REPRESENTATIVE BRICE replied that if you                 
 practice 350 hours, then you are eligible to take the test.                   
                                                                               
 SENATOR TORGERSON asked how you can prove you've worked the hours.            
 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE answered that a pay stub might be one way and            
 that's why they also have testing.  The Board is going to have to             
 decide what level of evidence is adequate.                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR TORGERSON asked if people who already have a hairdressing             
 and manicure license will have to be licensed again.                          
 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE replied that they could have a five or six               
 month waiting period.  SENATOR TORGERSON said he would prefer                 
 language that says the current license would be in effect until the           
 new one is issued.  REPRESENTATIVE BRICE agreed that was a good               
 idea.                                                                         
                                                                               
 SENATOR KELLY said he thought it was a good idea to learn about               
 sanitation and health, but he also didn't want this to develop into           
 something where someone has to get a student loan to get enrolled             
 in cosmetology school for six months.  He said he agreed with the             
 substance of the bill and said they would work on it and bring it             
 before the committee next week.