Reason #8 to Attend AACS Annual Convention and Expo
Sep 27 – 30| Las Vegas, NV

Every week leading up to the 2019 Annual Convention & Expo, we’ll share a top reason you can’t miss it. Reason #8: Suing Your State: Learn from Florida’s Win and Texas and Arizona’s Loss panel. This past legislative session, beauty industry representatives lost their battles in Arizona and Texas, but won in Florida. AACS members who led the fight in their respective states share the lessons they learned, best practices to engage lawmakers and insights on where and how they were able to succeed.

This year’s AACS Annual Convention & Expo theme is Power of One: Time to Engage.

In addition to updates recent federal and state regulations, you’ll learn best practices in beauty school compliance, and engaging with the media. Learn from other school owners about best practices and tips to streamline your operations. Join us in Las Vegas as we unite to learn, engage, and connect around the Power of One.

2019 Annual Convention & Expo  
Register Now

Hotel: MGM Grand
Register for AACS discounted group rate for your hotel. Book Now Deadline to book your room is Tuesday, September 3, 2019.

Fall Scholarship Season Launches August 1

The “Fall 2019” Beauty Changes Lives scholarship season opens on August 1, and is accepting applications through October 31. Ten scholarship programs are available this season, including tuition scholarships for barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, make-up, massage therapy and nails. Check out the Fall calendar here.

Federal Updates

U.S. Department of Education

July 22, 2019 - the Department of Education released an Electronic Announcement confirming May 26, 2019 as the effective date of the 2016 State Authorization rules for online programs.  The Rule requires that a school offering online educational programs meet state requirements applicable to distance education and document that the state has a complaint process through which a student residing in that state may bring a complaint against an out-of-state school.

July 23, 2019 - the Department of Education released an Electronic Announcement providing regarding the role that institutions have in checking the validity of a student’s high school completion as required under 34 C.F..R. § 668.16(p).

July 31, 2019 – Deadline for schools to submit closeout data for 2017-18 Direct Loan Program – see https://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/070219Addtl1718DLProgramYearCloseoutInfo.html

August 2, 2019 – Deadline for schools to comment on draft updated 2020-21 FAFSA form – see https://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/070819UpdatedDraft202021FSAAppMaterials.html


* New October 1, 2019 – Deadline for schools to submit 2020–21 FISAP electronically and mail in the required signature page - see
https://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/072619FinalFISAPFormInstruDeskRefTechnicalRefDue100119.html

Looking Ahead – 2019 FSA Training Conference. The Federal Student Aid Office has opened registration for the 2019 FSA Training Conference scheduled for December 3 to 6 in Reno, Nevada. The FSA Training Conference is training provided for financial aid professionals by the government for those institutions receiving Title IV funds and is the largest training program in the United States serving the financial aid community. In 2018 more than 2,000 unique schools registered for the conference. Registration is free.

U.S. Congress – Newly Introduced Legislation of Note


S. 2225  - A bill to provide for the basic needs of students at institutions of higher education.

a.       Status: Referred to Committee on HELP, 7/23/19

b.       Sponsor: Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA)2 Cosponsors


H.R. 4073 - To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide Federal Pell Grants on behalf of an incarcerated individual

a.       Status: Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor, 7/25/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. David Trone (D-MD) 4 Cosponsors


H.R. 4012 - To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 and title 38, United States Code, to conduct risk analyses regarding certain educational institutions receiving payments under the Department of Education heightened cash monitoring payment method, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned, 7/25/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) 1 Cosponsor


H.R. 3950 - To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a grant program for the improvement of remedial education programs at institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor, 7/24/19

b.        Sponsor: Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ) 4 Cosponsor

H.R. 3891 - To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make college affordable and accessible.

a.       Status: Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor, 7/23/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA) 1 Cosponsor


H.R. 3897- To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the monthly housing stipend under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program for individuals who pursue programs of education solely through distance learning on more than a half-time basis.

a.       Status: Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 7/23/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) 0 Cosponsors

H.R. 4012 - To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 and title 38, United States Code, to conduct risk analyses regarding certain educational institutions receiving payments under the Department of Education heightened cash monitoring payment method, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned, 7/25/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) 1 Cosponsor

State Updates

Recap of 2019 State Deregulation Bills

Over the next several weeks, AACS’ State Relations team will be preparing a comprehensive listing of 2019 state bills of interest to member schools. We will start this examination by reviewing 2019 deregulation bills. As you can see below, the measures are color-coded with green indicating that the bill has been enacted into law; red indicating that the bill is dead for 2019, and; regular black text indicating that the bill is still pending.

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

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

Deregulation Bills

Arkansas SB 410
As introduced, the measure would eliminate the State Board of Barber Examiners and other provisions of the state’s barbering act. Barbers licensed before January 1, 2020 would have been able to retain their licenses and be able to continue to “apply chemicals.” The measure would have also changed the state’s definition of cosmetology by eliminating the terms “arranging,” “dressing,” “cutting,” “brushing,” and “beautifying.”

California AB 193
The initially-drafted bill contained provisions to deregulate shampooing, makeup application and nail care.  Additionally, it would have required California’s Department of Consumer Affairs to conduct a comprehensive review of all occupational licensing requirements and identify unnecessary licensing requirements that cannot be adequately justified. The bill was subsequently amended to deregulate only shampooing and makeup application.

Texas HB 1705
The bill would have deleted the state’s Barbering and Cosmetology Act.

AACS Note: None of the three bills listed above were considered by a legislative committee.

Blow Drying and Hair Styling

Arizona SB 1401
The measure exempts from licensure “persons who dry, style, arrange, dress, curl, hot iron or shampoo and condition hair if the service does not include the application of reactive chemicals to permanently straighten, curl or alter the structure of the hair.”

Colorado HB 1330
This deregulation bill was unanimously passed by the House and defined “hair drying services” to include “drying, styling, arranging, curling, hot ironing, cleansing, or performing any other similar procedure intended to beautify, clean, or arrange hair.  It does not include applying reactive chemicals to permanently straighten, curl, or alter the structure or color of the hair.” The bill died on the Senate floor upon the sine die adjournment of the legislature.

Minnesota SF 2227 (omnibus state government budget bill)
The Institute for Justice and their supporters circulated an amendment to deregulate hair styling, and makeup and eyelash extension services.

New Jersey A5492
This bill exempts persons who dry, style, arrange, dress, curl, hot iron, or shampoo and condition hair from cosmetology and hairstyling licensure if the service provided does not include applying chemicals to permanently straighten, curl, or alter the structure of the hair.  Successful advocacy efforts led the bill’s sponsor to withdraw it from consideration in June.

Eyelash Extensions

Minnesota SF 696/HF 2249
The bills exempt eyelash extension practitioners and facilities that solely provide eyelash extension services from licensure.

Hair Braiding

Bills Enacted in 2019

Maine LD 1768 – The bill also deregulates threading, makeup application in a retail store and spray tanning.

Minnesota SF 10

North Dakota HB 1345

Rhode Island H5677

Tennessee SB 1185

Dead and Pending Bills

Florida HB 27
The bill contained language to deregulate hair braiding, hair wrapping, body wrapping, the application of polish to fingernails and toenails, and makeup application.

Pennsylvania SB 291

The bill would deregulate natural hair braiding.  According to the sponsor, the bill would remove “the onerous prerequisite that natural hair braiders complete 300 hours of instruction at a cosmetology school prior to examination and licensing. This legislation will not affect customer health and safety requirements for practitioners.”
Status: Referred to the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee on February 14, 2019.

Hair Threading

Kansas HB 2200

Virginia HB 1990

Shampooing

California AB 193
The bill would have also deregulated makeup application.

Missouri HB 349
The bill was passed by the House 148 to 1 but was not considered on the Senate floor prior to the sine die adjournment of the legislature.

Share your story

AACS is working with Plus Communications to better position AACS members to achieve our legislative and regulatory objectives at the federal level, ensuring lawmakers don’t pass misguided legislation that could severely harm our industry.

We need your help to tell the industry’s compelling story and save our industry from the negative consequences of harmful legislation. You can help by donating to help us fund this important public relations campaign, and by sharing stories and testimonials.

To submit a donation, please click here.

To submit a story, please click here.