BILL ANALYSIS
SB 549
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Date of Hearing: June 16, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS
Mary Hayashi, Chair
SB 549 (Correa) - As Amended: May 11, 2009
SENATE VOTE : 23-11
SUBJECT : Barbering and Cosmetology.
SUMMARY : Authorizes the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology
(Board) to collect gender, language and ethnicity data from new
licensure applicants and renewal licenses and requires that the
information be posted on the Board's Internet Web site.
Specifically, this bill :
1)States legislative intent for the Board to collect information
on gender, language preference, and ethnicity of all
licensees, including establishment licensees, in order to help
ensure that appropriate health and safety information is
effectively provided to affected licensees.
2)Requires applicants for licensure and licensees of the Board
to report, in their initial application for a license and at
the time of license renewal, information regarding the
applicant's and licensee's gender, language preference, and
ethnicity.
3)Permits applicants for an establishment license and
establishment licensees to report to the Board, in his or her
initial application for a license and at the time of license
renewal, that information regarding the applicant's and
licensee's gender, language preference, and ethnicity.
4)Requires the Board to collect the information reported
pursuant to this bill, compile it quarterly and post it on the
Board's Internet Web site.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Licenses and regulates persons engaged in the practice of
barbering and cosmetology by the Board.
2)Requires an establishment in which barbering and cosmetology
is practiced to be licensed by the Board.
SB 549
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FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
Purpose of this bill . According to the author's office,
"Current data on language and ethnicity is insufficient in the
beauty industry. Most nail salon owner and workers, for
example, often cite language barrier as the most common barrier
they face when accessing workplace health and safety
information. In California alone, there are over 114,000
licensed nail technicians and more than 260,000 licensed
cosmetologists. Estimates of Vietnamese nail technicians in
California vary widely from 40% to 80%, and many are
limited-English-proficient (LEP).
"Nail salon workers and other beauty industry technicians are
exposed to a wide array of occupational hazards. The lack of
access to health and safety information in a language workers
and owners can understand exacerbates occupational health
hazards. Knowing the ethnicity and sex breakdown of the nail
salon and beauty profession is critical to understanding
occupational health hazards. Disease risk often varies across
sex and ethnic groups, and such information is necessary to
understanding whether workplace exposure is linked to any
disease and thus informs intervention efforts to promote worker
health and safety.
"Language preference is not known for this worker population,
and as a result, information may not be communicated in a
language workers understand. The language and ethnicity data
will enable BBC to effectively communicate with the limited
English proficient licensee population. The Board will be able
to identify language needs, conduct culturally competent
outreach, and develop effective policy that will better serve
the community."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Asian Americans for Civil Rights & Equality
Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice
Asian Health Services
SB 549
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Asian Pacific American Legal Center
Bellagio Nails & Spa
Breast Cancer Action
Breast Cancer Fund
California Commission on the Status of Women
California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
Coalition for Clean Air
Mary's Hair and Nail
National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum
United Hair and Nails Association
Women's Voices for the Earth
Worksafe, Inc.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Rebecca May / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301