HB261 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Merika ColemanSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Cosmetology, Board of, continued in the name of Cosmetic Arts, Board of, regulation of cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians, manicurists, and natural hairstylists and their shops and schools, Secs. 34-7B-1 to 34-7B-26, inclusive, added; Secs. 34-7A-1 to 34-7A-25, inclusive, repealed

Summary

HB261 would replace the current Alabama Board of Cosmetology with a new Alabama Board of Cosmetic Arts to regulate cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians, manicurists, natural hairstylists, and their shops and schools.

What This Bill Does

The bill creates the Alabama Board of Cosmetic Arts (Chapter 7B) to take over regulation from the existing board and repeals Chapter 7A. It outlines the board’s structure, powers, and duties, including licensing, shop and school regulation, rulemaking, and disciplinary actions. It relocates and expands governance, adds barber representation, sets license and school requirements (including apprenticeships and instructor roles), and creates a dedicated Board fund. It also details fee schedules, eligibility, inspections, and exemptions, and it specifies an effective date about three months after passage, with existing board activities continuing under the new framework.

Who It Affects

• Cosmetology professionals (cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians, manicurists, natural hairstylists) who would be licensed, regulated, and subject to new rules and renewal cycles
• Shop and school owners that must obtain licenses, meet facility and insurance requirements, and comply with board regulations
• Students and apprentices who participate in new supervised training programs and apprenticeship requirements
• Consumers and the general public who will be protected by a regulated profession and new disciplinary processes
• Local governments and taxpayers, due to changes in local funding considerations and the bill’s stated local expenditure implications (addressed as exceptions in the Constitution amendment)

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Alabama Board of Cosmetic Arts (Chapter 7B) to regulate cosmetology, barbering, esthetics, manicurism, and natural hairstyling, including shops and schools
• Repeals the existing Chapter 7A and transitions membership from the old Board to the new Board, including a new seven-member board composition with two cosmetologist instructors, two practicing barbers, one esthetician, one manicurist, and one consumer, plus district representation
• Requires appointment by the Governor with Senate confirmation, four-year terms, limits on terms, and annual elections of officers (chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer)
• Creates the Board’s executive director (Governor appointee) and authorizes hiring of staff under merit guidelines; establishes a Board Fund to manage finances and require itemized vouchers for expenditures
• Sets licensing framework for personal and business licenses, license expiration tied to licensee birth month (cosmetology and barber licenses), and display requirements at workstations
• Implements a comprehensive fee schedule for licensing, renewal, examinations, reciprocity, upgrades to master licenses, and penalties for late renewals
• Rules and enforcement powers include the ability to deny, revoke, suspend licenses; required due process, hearings, and potential administrative fines up to $500 per violation
• Regulates schools and apprenticeships, including facility standards, instructor-to-student ratios, recordkeeping, curriculum requirements, and ownership transfer rules
• Allows exemptions from regulation for certain activities (emergency services, licensed medical professionals, armed forces, certain public or private education programs, and specific retail or nursing home scenarios)
• Defines apprenticeship, instructor, and various license classifications (barber, cosmetologist, esthetician, natural hair stylist, manicurist, instructor) with respective hour requirements and supervision rules
• Requires licensing of shops and schools, including bonds, liability insurance, financial documentation, floor plans, and compliance inspections before operation or relocation
• Provides for enforcement of local expenditures exceptions under Section 111.05 (Amendment 621) by classifying the bill as not needing local approval due to its crime-definition changes
• Effective date is the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Cosmetology, Board of