EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR BARBER LICENSE

Senate Bill 612 (Substitute S-1)

Sponsor:  Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood

House Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Senate Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Complete to 2-10-14

A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 612 (S-1) AS PASSED BY THE SENATE 11-14-13

The bill would amend Article 11 of the Occupational Code to do both of the following:

o                   Reduce the number of hours of study in the educational requirement for licensure as a barber.

o                   Revise the provision that allows for previous experience as a barber to be substituted for hours of study; this would apply in cases where the barber received instruction in another state or country.

Hours of study

Currently, Article 11 requires the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to issue a barber license to an individual that is at least 17 years old, is of good moral character, has completed at least a 2,000 hours course of study at a licensed barber college, has passed the state approved examination, and has completed the tenth grade of school.

The bill would reduce the number of hours of study in the educational requirement from 2,000 to 1,800.

Substitution of experience

In order to fulfill the educational requirements of Article 11, individuals whose instruction was received in another state or country are allowed to substitute experience as a barber or barber apprentice for instruction at a ratio of three months of experience for one-hundred hours of instruction. 

Under the bill, if an applicant's experience was acquired in a country that LARA considers one from which records are not generally available, both of the following would apply to the substitution of experience for instruction:

o                   Experience may not be substituted for instruction unless the applicant provides a signed and notarized attestation to LARA detailing the experience, including the place of employment (or apprenticeship).

o                   Experience may not be substituted for any of the hours of instruction pertaining to safety and sanitation; or laws, rules, and regulations (R 339.6047 of the Administrative Code). 

MCL 339.1108

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill would have no significant fiscal impact for the state or local units of government.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Jeff Stoutenburg

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Paul Holland

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.