BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 549
                                                                  Page  1


          SENATE THIRD READING
          SB 549 (Correa)
          As Amended  May 11, 2009
          Majority vote 

           SENATE VOTE  :23-11  
           
           BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS           7-2                 
          APPROPRIATIONS      10-5                            
           
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |Ayes:|Hayashi, Eng, Hernandez,  |Ayes:|De Leon, Ammiano, Coto,   |
          |     |Nava,                     |     |Davis, Fuentes, Hall,     |
          |     |John A. Perez, Ruskin,    |     |John A. Perez, Skinner,   |
          |     |Hill                      |     |Solorio, Torlakson        |
          |     |                          |     |                          |
          |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
          |Nays:|Emmerson, Smyth           |Nays:|Nielsen, Duvall, Harkey,  |
          |     |                          |     |Miller, Audra Strickland  |
          |     |                          |     |                          |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
           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.








                                                                  SB 549
                                                                  Page  2



          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.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee analysis, 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  :   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,  








                                                                  SB 549
                                                                  Page  3


          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."


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Rebecca May / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301 



                                                                FN: 0001716