March 4, 2019, Bill TX HB 1705, a bill regarding “abolishing the regulation of the practices of barbering and cosmetology,” was presented to the Texas House Committee, who approved the bill and passed it on to the Texas House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee for review.¹

Initially introduced on February 12, 2019 by Texas House representative Matthew Shaheen, the bill proposes four main points:

• First, it proposes to repeal the Title 9 Occupations Code, which mandates the regulations of cosmetology, barbering, and related occupations, including aesthetics. Currently under this code, businesses that hold a license, certificate, or permit to practice cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, and so forth are subject to inspection at least once every two years. The code also outlines the handling of complaints by consumers, requirements for licensure, sterilization requirements, disciplinary procedures for malpractice, and much more.
• Second, the bill proposes that, once effective, any existing licenses, permits, or certificates will be invalid.
• Third, any pending “complaint investigation, disciplinary action, and administrative penalty proceeding” regarding malpractice will be dropped.²
• And fourth, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation will return a “prorated portion” of the fee paid for issuance or renewal of any license, permit, or certificate that “existed immediately before the effective date” of the act.² If passed, the effective date would be September 1, 2019.

The main reason for Bill TX HB 1705 appears to be to make entry into these professions easier, with the hopes of increasing competition and decreasing consumer cost. However, deregulation would come with a multitude of repercussions for the industry – primarily consumer safety. No standards for education or training means putting consumers at high risk of communicable diseases and injury. Regulations ensure knowledge and practice of proper safety and sanitation protocols, as well as requirements for education on anatomy and physiology of the hair, skin, nails, and so forth. Codes and disciplinary boards keep consumers safe by enforcing such standards and issuing penalties when malpractice occurs.

As the bill is gaining traction and making progress, for those who wish to speak out, now is the time. Signing petitions, like this one: http://bit.ly/2C43o6Q, is a great place to start.³ However, making phone calls and sending e-mails can have a more profound impact. Individuals can have the most profound impact by calling and e-mailing their district representatives – the people with the power to vote no on the bill – which they can look up here: http://bit.ly/2EQBBIK.⁴ They can also call and e-mail Matt Shaheen, the representative who wrote the bill, to voice their concerns directly. 512-463-0594, 469-642-8708, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..⁵ 

References
1 “TX HB1705 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature.” LEGISCAN. https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB1705/2019.
2 “TX HB1705 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced.” LEGISCAN. https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HB1705/2019
3 “Say No To HB 1705 - Texas Barber and Cosmetology Abolishment :Signature Goal 100K.” change.org.
https://www.change.org/p/say-no-to-hb-1705-texas-barber-and-cosmetology-abolishment-signature-goal-100k?utm_medium=pet_copylink_3&fbclid=IwAR2uzOtM5zJwVcS6ybFFsB_h3_HLz6V41GyhVXcaKa7Vjx5ZoXUvTAo7_AI.
4 “Find Your Representative.” United States House of Representatives. https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative?fbclid=IwAR3-EIYb4d25Y dV94vnY5C57rBJfXf-JdoqXZZW-yIJZe8_lEhqGNbFD5cg.
5 “Texas House Member.” Texas House of Representatives. https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=66&fbclid=IwAR3MMxkayQcDsoGz5AcYpXeEcJiVmaJTUzvZHDA4_BegyO6sqm_c7JX0Ghk.