BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1502
85R6557 JCG-F	By: Zaffirini
	Business & Commerce
	3/24/2017
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

It is burdensome to licensees and wasteful of public resources to administer licensing programs that do little to protect the public good. For that reason, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has undertaken a strategic initiative to identify licensing programs and activities that could be deregulated without threatening public health, safety, or welfare. Although no current law expressly regulates the practice of "threading," which involves the removal of unwanted hair using a piece of thread, there is some concern that this practice may be construed to constitute barbering for purposes of the statutes that govern barbers and cosmetologists. S.B. 1502 amends those statutes to make clear that threading does not require licensure as an esthetician, barber, or cosmetologist.

As proposed, S.B. 1502 amends current law relating to the regulation of barbering and cosmetology.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 1601, Occupations Code, by adding Section 1601.0025, as follows:

Sec. 1601.0025. SERVICES NOT CONSTITUTING BARBERING. Defines "barbering," "practicing barbering," and "practice of barbering" to not include threading, which involves removing unwanted eyebrow hair from a person by using a thin piece of thread that is looped around the hair and pulled to remove the hair and includes the incidental trimming of eyebrow hair, notwithstanding Section 1601.002 (Definition of Barbering).

SECTION 2. Amends Section 1602.002(a), Occupations Code, to redefine "cosmetology."

SECTION 3. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 1602, Occupations Code, by adding Section 1602.0025, as follows:

Sec. 1602.0025. SERVICES NOT CONSTITUTING COSMETOLOGY. Defines "cosmetology" to not include threading, notwithstanding Section 1602.002(a).

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2017.