BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 549
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   July 1, 2009

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Kevin De Leon, Chair

                     SB 549 (Correa) - As Amended:  May 11, 2009 

          Policy Committee:                              Business and  
          Professions  Vote:                            7 - 2 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires an applicant for a license issued by the  
          Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC) to report to the board  
          their gender, language preference, and ethnicity.  In addition,  
          the BBC is required to compile the information quarterly and  
          post it on the board's Internet Web site. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          One time special fund costs of less than $50,000 to update  
          databases, applications, and renewal forms.  On-going special  
          fund costs would likely be less than $10,000 per year. All costs  
          would be absorbable within existing resources. 

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  .  The author contends that this is a workplace safety  
          issue.  He notes, "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."

          According to information provided by the author, 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). According to the  








                                                                  SB 549
                                                                  Page  2

          author, many nail salon owners and workers cite language  
          barriers as the most common barrier they face when accessing  
          workplace health and safety information. 

          The author argues that workers lack access to health and safety  
          information in a language workers and owners can understand  
          which exacerbates occupational health hazards.  The author  
          further contends that knowing the ethnicity and sex breakdown of  
          the nail salon and beauty profession is critical to  
          understanding occupational health hazards.  


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081