Brief(1)
The bill would amend existing law regarding qualifications for licensure as a cosmetologist. Specifically, the bill would permit persons who were at least 25 years of age and licensed as an apprentice cosmetologist on May 21, 1998, but who have not graduated from high school or earned a GED, to take the licensing examination. The bill would not change the education requirement for any other applicants for licensure.
Background
Under amendments to the cosmetology licensing statutes that took effect on May 21, 1998, applicants for the licensure examination must be high school graduates or the equivalent. Prior to the effective date of those amendments, persons over the age of 25 did not have to meet the high school education requirement.
Introduction of the bill was requested by Representative Campbell. According to the testimony he presented to the House Committee on Governmental Organization and Elections, some licensed apprentices were essentially disqualified in the midst of their training by the 1998 amendments. His testimony cited two specific instances from one cosmetology school in Johnson County.
The Director of the Board of Cosmetology presented testimony that the Board's records indicate as many as 38 cosmetology students might be "grandfathered" by the bill.
The Division of the Budget's fiscal note on the bill states that enactment of the bill would not have any fiscal impact on the Board of Cosmetology.
1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html.