04/17/2000 02:05 PM House FIN

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 34(FIN)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  relating to tattooing,  body piercing,  and ear                                                                   
     piercing;  relating to  other  occupations regulated  by                                                                   
     the Board of Barbers and  Hairdressers; relating to fees                                                                   
     charged by  the Board of  Barbers and Hairdressers;  and                                                                   
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  JOHNNY  ELLIS,  SPONSOR  testified  in  support.  He                                                                   
offered  the legislation  on behalf  of  a constituent  whose                                                                   
child was injured  from body piercing that was not  done in a                                                                   
sanitary manner.  The state  of Alaska is  the only  state in                                                                   
the  union  that  does not  license  the  procedure.  Injured                                                                   
clients have no recourse. There  can be serious public health                                                                   
implications.  National  standards  were  used to  craft  the                                                                   
legislation.  The  Division of  Occupational  Licensing  will                                                                   
license   and   test.   The   Department   of   Environmental                                                                   
Conservation,   Division  of   Public   Health  will   handle                                                                   
inspections.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Therriault questioned  the  level  of support  from                                                                   
industry. Senator  Ellis observed that there  is support from                                                                   
industry.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative G. Davis spoke  in support of the legislation.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ellis explained that the  legislation was expanded to                                                                   
include  permanent cosmetics  at the  request of a  Fairbanks                                                                   
practitioner.   Permanent  cosmetics   are   used  to   paint                                                                   
permanent eyebrows on burn victims.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Vice  Chair Bunde  spoke in  support of  the legislation.  He                                                                   
pointed  out that serious  illnesses can  result from  unsafe                                                                   
practices.  Senator  Ellis  observed  that  the  Hepatitis  C                                                                   
Coalition supports the legislation.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
In  response  to  a  question   by  Representative  Phillips,                                                                   
Senator  Ellis  expressed support  for  the  House Labor  and                                                                   
Commerce version  of SB 34. Parental permission  was added to                                                                   
the legislation.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
DAINA RHOADES,  STAFF,  SENATOR JOHNNY  ELLIS responded  to a                                                                   
questioned  by  Representative  Grussendorf.  Temporary  shop                                                                   
license could be used to operate  temporary sites such as the                                                                   
Palmer  Fair.  Temporary  shops  would be  inspected  by  the                                                                   
Department of  Environmental Conservation  and would  have to                                                                   
comply  with regulation  requirements.  The legislation  does                                                                   
not address animals.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Therriault   referenced  page  13,   line  30.  The                                                                   
legislation distinguishes  between ear piercing  and piercing                                                                   
of body  parts.  Senator Ellis  noted that shops that  do ear                                                                   
piercing   would   not  be   required   to   go  through   an                                                                   
apprenticeship and testing.  The  Department of Environmental                                                                   
Conservation  would form regulations  covering the  guns used                                                                   
in ear  piercing. She  emphasized that  greater oversight  is                                                                   
required when other body parts are pierced.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Therriault asked if the  Department of Environmental                                                                   
Conservation would  charge the  fees and questioned  the cost                                                                   
of travel.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
JANICE  ADAIR, DIRECTOR,  DIVISION  OF ENVIRONMENTAL  HEALTH,                                                                   
DEC provided  information  on the fiscal  cost. She  observed                                                                   
that there  are approximately 10  tattoo parlors.   No travel                                                                   
costs have  been included.  Ear piercing  would only  require                                                                   
regulations. Those  regulations would cover  basic sanitation                                                                   
issues. She added that there would  be a fiscal note to cover                                                                   
the cost  of locating ear-piercing  locations. There  are 675                                                                   
ear-piercing establishments in the State.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Therriault  asked if  there was  a problem  with ear                                                                   
piercing.   Ms. Rhoades replied  that most establishments  do                                                                   
not  like the  guns.  There is  a  growing  concern that  the                                                                   
needles  on  the  guns  are  dangerous.   National  standards                                                                   
indicate that  the guns  are okay.   Guns could be  inspected                                                                   
under  the  regulations.  She  urged that  the  provision  be                                                                   
retained  and  noted that  many  people are  concerned  about                                                                   
continued  use of  ear piercing  guns.  Senator Ellis  agreed                                                                   
that it would be  good to have some review  regarding the use                                                                   
of ear piercing guns.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Adair  clarified  that the  occupational  licensing  fee                                                                   
would cover  the oversight of  the industry. Food  inspectors                                                                   
would be used for the inspections.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
In response to a question by Vice  Chair Bunde, Senator Ellis                                                                   
explained   that   the   regulation  would   not   apply   to                                                                   
noncommercial  practices.  Vice  Chair  Bunde  questioned  if                                                                   
Native  practices, which  are noncommercial  but involve  one                                                                   
person  tattooing   another,  would  be  covered   under  the                                                                   
legislation. Senator  Ellis thought that the  tattooing would                                                                   
have to  be done in  a safe and  sanitary way, but  suggested                                                                   
that the Board could address the issue.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
KENDALL  THOMAS,  ALASKA  HEPATITIS  C  COALITION,  ANCHORAGE                                                                   
testified via teleconference in support.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SB  34   was  heard  and   HELD  in  Committee   for  further                                                                   
consideration.