Legislature(2001 - 2002)

04/01/2002 03:20 PM House L&C

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 443-TATTOOING AND BODY PIERCING                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MURKOWSKI announced  the  final order  of business,  HOUSE                                                               
BILL  NO. 443,  "An Act  retroactively extending  the application                                                               
and  licensing  deadlines  and amending  the  effective  date  of                                                               
certain  provisions   relating  to  regulation  of   persons  who                                                               
practice  tattooing  and  permanent  cosmetic  coloring  or  body                                                               
piercing; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HALCRO   moved  to  adopt   version  22-LS1525\L,                                                               
Lauterbach, 3/28/02,  as the  working document.   There  being no                                                               
objection, Version L was before the committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 1698                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SHARRON  O'DELL,  Staff  to Representative  Vic  Kohring,  Alaska                                                               
State   Legislature,  testified   on  behalf   of  Representative                                                               
Kohring,  sponsor.   Ms. O'Dell  informed the  committee that  in                                                               
2000 the  legislature passed  SB 34,  which addressed  health and                                                               
safety concerns  for the  tattooing and  body-piercing industries                                                               
by  placing those  industries under  licensing regulations  under                                                               
the    Board   of    Barbers   and    Hairdressers;   established                                                               
qualifications and  training requirements for  license applicants                                                               
and regulations  for shop  licenses; and  established application                                                               
deadlines as well as initial licensing dates.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'DELL explained that because  of the deadlines [the Division                                                               
of Occupational  Licensing, Department  of Commerce  and Economic                                                               
Development (DCED)]  had no mechanism,  grace period,  or appeals                                                               
process   for  dealing   with  someone   who'd  missed   the  new                                                               
application  deadline.     Several  qualified  practitioners  had                                                               
missed the new application deadline  because they were unaware of                                                               
the new regulations.  Therefore,  HB 443 extends the transitional                                                               
license  application  date  to provide  those  practitioners  the                                                               
opportunity  to apply  for a  transitional license.   Ms.  O'Dell                                                               
said the sponsor  doesn't intend to change  any qualifications or                                                               
regulations established in the passage of SB 34.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'DELL announced that the  practitioners with which [she] has                                                               
spoken are all  in favor of the regulations.   The only complaint                                                               
surrounding SB  34 was that  not everyone had received  notice of                                                               
the new regulations,  although the [division] had  done its best.                                                               
Ms. O'Dell  explained that [the  division] developed  its mailing                                                               
list  from names  of business  licenses  that it  already had  or                                                               
business licenses  that had key words  indicating connection with                                                               
the  tattooing  and  body-piercing  industries.    The  list  was                                                               
developed from  [DCED's] interested-party  list, as well  as that                                                               
from   the  Department   of  Environmental   Conservation  (DEC).                                                               
Notices  were  also placed  in  the  newspapers.   However,  some                                                               
practitioners  never received  their notices  and didn't  see the                                                               
notices in the paper, thus missing the original deadline date.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'DELL explained that [without  this legislation] a qualified                                                               
practitioner who missed  the July 1, 2001, deadline  will have to                                                               
close the business  and work for a competitor in  order to obtain                                                               
a license.   In one instance,  there is only one  practitioner in                                                               
the  area,  and  therefore  there  is no  one  under  which  this                                                               
practitioner can train.  Ms.  O'Dell pointed out an unintentional                                                               
result of SB  34:  a practitioner  of many years may  now have to                                                               
train under someone with a  few years' experience.  Therefore, HB
443 extends  the original  transitional license  application date                                                               
to  October 1,  2002.   Furthermore,  it  includes language  that                                                               
"freezes"  the  transitional  qualification period  to  a  period                                                               
prior  to July  1,  2001, the  original  application date,  which                                                               
means   applicants  would   need  to   have  qualified   for  the                                                               
transitional [license] by July 1, 2001.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'DELL addressed Sections 2 and  3 of HB 443, which deal with                                                               
the effective date  of the licensing requirement  and the related                                                               
regulations.   This date  had to be  changed because  the license                                                               
requirement  couldn't  be  prior   to  the  transitional  license                                                               
requirement  date.   Ms.  O'Dell  noted  that [the  sponsor]  has                                                               
worked closely  with the Division  of Occupational  Licensing and                                                               
with  DEC in  order to  establish  dates that  would resolve  the                                                               
aforementioned problem  without unreasonably delaying  the safety                                                               
regulations of SB 34 or allowing new people into the industry.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 1437                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI  asked how  many people  fell through  the cracks                                                               
with [SB 34].                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'DELL  answered that 13  people were discovered  through the                                                               
division and [the sponsor's office];  however, there may be more.                                                               
In further response, Ms. O'Dell  said although the division isn't                                                               
doing anything  extra with the notice  for HB 443, there  will be                                                               
additional   notices  in   certain   newspapers.     Furthermore,                                                               
[Representative Kohring] has  put out a news release  for HB 443,                                                               
which will  hopefully help.   Ms.  O'Dell acknowledged  that some                                                               
folks might  [not know about  this]; however, HB 443  attempts to                                                               
address as many  [as possible] of those who  were unfairly missed                                                               
the first time.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 1352                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'DELL, in response to  Representative Meyer, said she didn't                                                               
know [how  many tattoo and  body-piercing businesses  there are],                                                               
but  noted that  the division  has  said it  has 2,600  [barbers,                                                               
hairdressers, tattooers,  and body piercers] on  its mailing list                                                               
for renotification.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT  recalled that  a tattoer  was placed  on the                                                               
[Board of Barbers and Hairdressers].                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MURKOWSKI  asked if  the  12-month  requirement refers  to                                                               
practice in Alaska or anywhere.   She recalled receiving a letter                                                               
from someone  with a shop outside  [the state] who was  unable to                                                               
make the July 1 deadline due to work outside of Alaska.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'DELL clarified that this  individual owns two shops, one in                                                               
Anchorage and  one in  Idaho; although  the practitioners  in the                                                               
Anchorage shop  obtained their license, [the  owner] can't return                                                               
to practice  in his own shop  because he can't license  his shop,                                                               
since he  isn't a  licensed practitioner.   In  further response,                                                               
she said that under the  qualifications established by SB 34, she                                                               
believes  the  12-month  practice   requirement  would  refer  to                                                               
practice in  Alaska or under  a licensed practitioner in  a state                                                               
that has qualifications that meet those set forth in SB 34.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Number 1045                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG referred to page  2, line 3, and asked if                                                               
the  "June  30,   2001"  date  was  maintained   because  of  the                                                           
uncodified law in Section 3.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'DELL  explained that it  freezes the qualification  date as                                                               
set  forth  in  SB  34;  individuals  would  have  to  have  been                                                               
qualified for the license at  the application deadline of July 1,                                                               
2001.    In  further  response, Ms.  O'Dell  confirmed  that  the                                                               
current  12-month period  wouldn't qualify  for experience.   She                                                               
said HB 443  doesn't intend to continue to extend  the period for                                                               
the transitional license.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MURKOWSKI  surmised  that  the  Division  of  Occupational                                                               
Licensing is  fine with HB  443, as is  the Board of  Barbers and                                                               
Hairdressers and the tattooers and body piercers.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'DELL  informed the  committee that  the board  doesn't meet                                                               
again until  October.  Those on  the board that "we"  have spoken                                                               
with are in  support of HB 443, provided  that the qualifications                                                               
established under SB 34 are not changed.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 0933                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MARY  SIROKY,  Manager,  Information  Education  &  Coordination,                                                               
Division   of    Statewide   Public   Service,    Department   of                                                               
Environmental  Conservation   (DEC),  noted   that  she   is  the                                                               
legislative  liaison for  the department.   Mr.  Siroky explained                                                               
that  under  SB 34,  the  department  was required  to  establish                                                               
standards for  sanitation and cleanliness for  tattooing and body                                                               
piercing,  which it  has done.    She noted  that the  department                                                               
doesn't  have a  problem with  HB 443,  although it  put forth  a                                                               
fiscal note  in order to renotice  the regulations to be  in step                                                               
with  those   regulations  of   [the  Division   of  Occupational                                                               
Licensing].   Therefore,  the  regulations  won't be  implemented                                                               
until December 2002.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MEYER  asked whether the department  has $3,000 to                                                               
send out the notices without attaching a fiscal note.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. SIROKY  answered that the  department doesn't have  any extra                                                               
money;  furthermore,   if  proposed  cuts  are   maintained,  the                                                               
department  won't have  a program  to  inspect body-piercing  and                                                               
tattooing shops.  In further  response, Ms. Siroky explained that                                                               
the $3,000 would  pay for the public notice in  four journals and                                                               
for postage for  the mailing list.  The  original notice occurred                                                               
in  nine newspapers,  but  since  this is  a  second notice,  the                                                               
number of  newspapers in which the  notice will run has  been cut                                                               
back.  Furthermore,  the notice is provided  on the public-notice                                                               
pages on the state web site.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 0787                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. SIROKY, in response to  Chair Murkowski, said she didn't know                                                               
how the 10-15 people slipped  through, because notice was done in                                                               
nine major  papers and sent to  those on the mailing  list, and a                                                               
press  release  was  put  out.   In  response  to  Representative                                                               
Rokeberg,  Ms.  Siroky  said they'd  looked  through  the  Yellow                                                               
Pages.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI  pointed out that  many of those [who  missed the                                                               
notices] are located in the Matanuska-Susitna area.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SIROKY acknowledged  that there  was no  public notice  done                                                               
there.   She assured the committee  that this time there  will be                                                               
public notice there.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Number 0642                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
TODD GIPSON,  Two Moons Tattooing, testified  via teleconference,                                                               
saying he'd  spoken with many  who knew these  [regulations] were                                                               
going through.   Many people  had discussed getting things  in on                                                               
time,  while   others  said  the   state  can't   regulate  this.                                                               
Therefore, Mr.  Gipson asked if  those who are filing  [are those                                                               
who'd said the state can't regulate this industry].                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI remarked that she  didn't believe anyone knew who                                                               
had been lost through the cracks.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0583                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
LAURA    IVANOFF,   Two    Moons    Tattooing,   testified    via                                                               
teleconference, informing the committee  that she has spoken with                                                               
many of those  who had difficulty with the deadline.   From those                                                               
discussions, Ms. Ivanoff said [some  believe] the State of Alaska                                                               
can't  regulate  tattooing  and  piercing.    Furthermore,  [some                                                               
believe]  there is  a grandfather  right such  that the  Board of                                                               
Barbers  [and Hairdressers]  can't  tell  tattooers and  piercers                                                               
what to do.   When it has been explained that  [the board and the                                                               
state]  can  [regulate], however,  he  said  "we" [support]  this                                                               
because of cross-contamination.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 0406                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JOE  SCHOOLCRAFT,  Owner,  Two  Moons  Tattooing,  testified  via                                                               
teleconference,  echoing  the testimony  of  Mr.  Gipson and  Ms.                                                               
Ivanoff  in regard  to the  many  people who  don't believe  [the                                                               
state] has the  power to regulate [tattooers  and body piercers].                                                               
Mr.  Schoolcraft said  he didn't  believe [HB  443] was  fair for                                                               
those who went  [through the process under SB 34]  and pushed for                                                               
this.  "The industry needs to be cleaned up," he charged.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
JEFF MACAMBER  testified via teleconference, speaking  briefly in                                                               
support of HB 443.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Number 0207                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
GAIL McCANN,  Owner/Operator, The Electrolysis  Clinic, testified                                                               
via teleconference.   She explained that  The Electrolysis Clinic                                                               
provides permanent  hair removal  and cosmetics;  she said  SB 34                                                               
and HB  443 impact  more than  those in  the tattooing  and body-                                                               
piercing industries.   Ms. McCann announced that she  is in favor                                                               
of passing  HB 443  because she believes  people should  have the                                                               
opportunity to  continue their livelihood regardless  of why they                                                               
missed the original deadline.   She related her belief that these                                                               
three  industries  -  tattooing,  body  piercing,  and  permanent                                                               
cosmetics - need  to have oversight.  As the  public becomes more                                                               
informed,  she  believes  those who  are  incompetent  and  don't                                                               
follow the health standards will fall by the wayside.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 02-47, SIDE A                                                                                                              
Number 0001                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. McCANN  remarked that all  [three industries] need  to follow                                                               
the  medically  approved  standards  for  sterilization  so  that                                                               
practitioners are  protected against  the spread  of communicable                                                               
diseases.  She urged support of HB 443.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 0121                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
KEVIN  McKINLEY, Owner,  Body Piercing  Unlimited, testified  via                                                               
teleconference.   Although he  said people have  done a  good job                                                               
trying to  get everyone licensed,  there is the  possibility that                                                               
some of  the smaller  businesses fell  through the  cracks, since                                                               
this  is the  first time  that this  industry has  been licensed.                                                               
Mr. McKinley said he would hate  to see people use this licensing                                                               
[requirement] as  a competitive  tool in order  to weed  out [the                                                               
smaller businesses].   He said he feels [HB 443]  is a good thing                                                               
for those who did miss  the deadline.  Furthermore, extending the                                                               
deadline for six months isn't going to hurt anyone's business.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0244                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JEFFERY   MARTIN,   Muttley's   Tattoo  Clinic,   testified   via                                                               
teleconference.    He  informed  the  committee  that  he  hadn't                                                               
received notification  of the license  application until  a month                                                               
after  the deadline,  even though  he  was on  the mailing  list;                                                               
therefore, he'd  gone to Representative Kohring's  office and the                                                               
meeting of  the Board  of Barbers and  Hairdressers.   Mr. Martin                                                               
explained that  if HB  443 doesn't  pass, then  not only  will he                                                               
lose his business,  but four employees will lose their  jobs.  He                                                               
emphasized that he  more than met the requirements  prior to July                                                               
1,  2001.   He  also emphasized  that he  is  only requesting  an                                                               
extension of the application dates.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 0423                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ANDY KOPCZENSKI,  American Tattoo, testified  via teleconference.                                                               
Mr. Kopczenski  said that  [HB 443]  looks good  and that  a six-                                                               
month   extension   won't   hurt   anyone.     In   response   to                                                               
Representative Kott, Mr.  Kopczenski affirmed that he  was on the                                                               
mailing  list, was  part  of the  inception  of this  application                                                               
process, and had received notification.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI closed public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 0577                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MEYER  moved  to  report CSHB  443,  version  22-                                                               
LS1525\L, Lauterbach,  3/28/02, out of committee  with individual                                                               
recommendations and  the accompanying  fiscal note.   There being                                                               
no objection, CSHB 443(L&C) was moved  out of the House Labor and                                                               
Commerce Standing Committee.                                                                                                    

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