Regulation of tattooing and body piercing. (FE)

1. The bill provides that, in order to obtain a body art practitioner license, a person must: a) be at least 18 years old; b) pay a licensure fee; c) provide proof of having completed, in the 36 months before applying for a license, coursework approved by DHS on bloodborne pathogens, the prevention of disease transmission, infection control, and aseptic technique; and d) provide proof of having at least 200 hours of experience gained under the supervision of a licensed tattooist or body piercer, depending on which license the person is seeking. The requirements specified in c) and d) for an initial body art practitioner license, however, do not apply to an individual who was licensed as a body art practitioner on the bill's effective date. In addition, the bill allows DHS or a local health department to waive the requirements specified in c) and d) for an individual who is licensed in another jurisdiction with licensure requirements that meet or exceed those under the bill.

2. The bill allows DHS to grant a training license to an individual who lacks the required 200 hours of supervised experience but who otherwise satisfies the requirements for licensure as a body art practitioner, if the individual provides DHS or a local health department with a signed letter from a licensed body art practitioner who holds the same license the applicant is seeking, stating that the applicant will be training in one or more licensed tattoo or body-piercing establishments with one or more licensed tattooists or body piercers, as applicable, in order to obtain the required hours of supervised experience. An individual possessing a tattooist or body piercer training license may, under the bill, perform tattooing or body piercing only under the supervision of a licensed tattooist or body piercer, whichever is applicable.

A training license may, under the bill, be renewed only one time.

3. The bill provides that a body art practitioner license may be renewed by submitting to DHS or a local health department a renewal application; the required fee; and proof of having completed, in the 36 months preceding the renewal date, coursework approved by DHS on bloodborne pathogens, the prevention of disease transmission, infection control, and aseptic technique.

The bill also adds a number of provisions pertaining to the regulation and licensing of body art establishments, including requiring an individual applying for a license to operate a body art establishment to: a) provide certain information about the establishment, including the establishment's location and the names of all owners and operators; and b) submit to an inspection of the establishment to ensure that it meets applicable requirements.

The bill requires every body art practitioner to keep a record of each patron he or she serves at a body art establishment, which must include the patron's and body art practitioner's names, the patron's address, documentation of the patron's age and consent, and any adverse effects that arose during the procedure. The bill requires each record to be retained for a minimum of two years.

Finally, the bill gives DHS and local health departments the authority to revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew a body art practitioner's or body art establishment's license for certain specified reasons and for any violation of laws, rules, or ordinances regulating body art practitioners and establishments.