04/22/1999 01:43 PM Senate L&C

                                                                                                                                
                SB 34-TATTOOS AND BODY PIERCING                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN MACKIE called the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee                                                                  
meeting to order at 1:43 p.m. and announced SB 34 to be up for                                                                  
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JOHNNY ELLIS, sponsor of SB 34, said this isn't the most                                                                
compelling issue this session, but to one family in his district it                                                             
is important.  They contacted him because their child was infected                                                              
by a scam artist who was engaged in tattooing and body piercing in                                                              
the Anchorage area.  Senator Ellis found that there is no licensure                                                             
or regulation of this growing industry in Alaska.  This bill                                                                    
proposes minimal licensure and regulation standards and fees from                                                               
the industry are proposed to cover the cost to the State.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS said the bill proposes to add a new member the Board                                                              
of Barbers and Hairdressers and Cosmetology.  There are less than                                                               
20 practitioners in Alaska now who have said this really needs to                                                               
be done.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
There are no schools for this kind of training in Alaska and they                                                               
are proposing an apprenticeship with a licensed practitioner in the                                                             
CS.  There would be a student license for a six month period.  They                                                             
have changed the apprentice requirement from 350 hours to 75 hours                                                              
based on current common practice in other states.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN MACKIE asked what the fees would be.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS said it is about a $100 annual license fee for all                                                                
the folks.  He said the legitimate practitioners support this bill;                                                             
and it is a legitimate concern to get rid of the bad actors, some                                                               
of which are victimizing young people.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN MACKIE asked him to explain the effective date.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS responded that they wanted a delayed effective date                                                               
so there would be time to gear up and give notice requirements.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 125                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN moved to adopt the Lauterbach version H to SB 34.                                                                 
There were no objections and it was so ordered.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. CATHERINE REARDON, Director, Division of Occupational                                                                       
Licensing, supported SB 34.  She said her staff would be providing                                                              
support to the Board of Barbers and Hairdressers who would be                                                                   
administering this program.  The fee structure makes costs and fees                                                             
equal for all the professions within the Board of Barbers and                                                                   
Hairdressers.  It is very similar language to what went into the                                                                
Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors Board when the landscape                                                              
architects were added.  Right now the fee is $100, but that could                                                               
go up or down.  Since the fiscal note would be different for the                                                                
CS, they will prepare a new one if they pass it out.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN asked if she was sure the current professionals                                                                   
covered under this Board would accept the cost shifting that would                                                              
take place in the first year.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. REARDON said the Board certainly understood that.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN asked if she was satisfied that the costs for these                                                               
20 people would be fairly minimal.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. REARDON answered that she thought the cost for the first two                                                                
years would be in the $10 range. She thought most of them would                                                                 
come in under the grandfathering provision in the first two years.                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Number 180                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN moved to pass CSSB 34(L&C) from committee with                                                                    
individual recommendations.  There were no objections and it was so                                                             
ordered.