State Updates

New Jersey Assembly Passes Bill Revising Student Clinic Fees

The week after Thanksgiving finds only five state legislatures – Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Wisconsin – actively meeting.  However, over 25 states are currently allowing the prefiling of 2020 bills.

According to FiscalNote, several states have procedural mechanisms in place to encourage lawmakers to pre-file bills. “In Florida, for instance, House members are limited to filing six bills during a regular session, with at least two required to be pre-filed no later than the “sixth Tuesday prior to the first day of the regular session.’ This year, that would be Dec. 3.” 

Similarly, Louisiana and Virginia’s House of Delegates limits legislators to five non-prefiled bills.  Virginia Senators can however introduce up to eight non-prefiled bills during their 60-day 2020 legislative session. 

Prior to Thanksgiving, New Jersey’s Assembly unanimously passed a bill permitting cosmetology and hairstyling school clinics to charge the public fees for services that are greater than the cost of materials.  According to the official statement, A3160 “also provides that fees charged by licensed school clinics must be clearly posted and that consumers must be notified that the cosmetology and hairstyling services provided in the clinic are performed by registered senior students under the supervision of licensed instructors.”  An identical Senate companion bill – S1751 – is currently pending in the Senate Commerce Committee.   

South Carolina Representative Bill Herbkersman (R) pre-filed a bill last month to reduce continuing education requirements for Palmetto State licensees.  Under current regulations, all cosmetologists, estheticians, and nail technicians are required to complete a total of 12 continuing education hours of training per licensure year – including three hours in sanitation or client health and safety.  Similarly, licensed instructors must complete 12 hours of instruction “geared toward teaching” during the preceding licensing year.  H4666 would require non-instructor licensees to complete three hours of continuing education in “regulations, health, safety, and sanitation” per licensure year.  Instructors would be required to complete six hours of instruction during the preceding licensing year, including three hours in regulations, health, safety and sanitation, and three hours in teaching methodology. 

The text of the bills listed in this report can be found in AACS’ Bill Tracking Portal.  

Please do not hesitate to contact Brian Newman at bnewman@abingdonstrategies.com or by phone at 202-491-5254 with comments or questions.