SPA Recent/Current Beauty Industry Legislation

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Recent legislation and ongoing discussion in Georgia regarding the cosmetology industry, specifically concerning licensure requirements and related practices. Here's a summary of recent and proposed legislation:

• Senate Bill 354 (SB 354): This bill was signed into law in May 2024 and significantly impacted the cosmetology industry by:
  • Exempting individuals who perform only blow-dry styling or makeup application from requiring a license.
  • Clarifying that while shampooing, blow-dry styling, and makeup application no longer require a license, other practices like using chemicals or cutting hair still do.
  • Allowing facilities where only these exempt activities are performed to operate without facility licenses.
  • Leading to debate about its potential impacts on industry standards, employment opportunities, and worker safety.
• House Bill 212 (HB 212): Also known as the Niche-Beauty Services Opportunity Act, this bill proposed amendments to modernize regulations for barbers and cosmetologists, including:
  • Introducing hair removal as a separate practice with specific apprenticeship, instruction, and licensing requirements.
  • Addressing sanitation conditions within the industry.
• House Bill 349 (HB 349): This bill aims to repeal the current Chapter 10 of the Official Code of Georgia relating to barbers and cosmetologists and enact a new chapter to reorganize, modernize, and clarify current regulations for:
  • Barbering.
  • Esthetics.
  • Hair design.
  • Cosmetology.
  • Nail care.
• Proposed legislation on cosmetic product safety: There's also discussion and proposed legislation focused on ingredient disclosure and safer alternatives for cosmetic products. These proposed bills include:
  • The Cosmetic Hazardous Ingredient Right to Know Act, which would require labels and websites to disclose ingredients that pose a health risk.
  • The Cosmetic Safety Protections for Communities of Color & Salon Workers, which would fund research and education on toxic chemicals in products marketed towards salon workers and women of color. 

It's important to note that the impact of these changes on the cosmetology industry in Georgia is still unfolding.

 Several bills related to cosmetology licensure have been considered by the North Carolina legislature recently, but it's important to clarify the current situation:

• Senate Bill 607 (S 607), the "Regulatory Reform Act of 2024," became effective on July 9, 2024. This act exempts certain employees whose duties are confined to shampooing or blow-drying from needing a barber or cosmetologist license.
• Senate Bill 656 (S 656) related to Cosmetic Art Deregulation specifies that the statute does not limit the locations where individuals exempt from licensure may provide natural hair care, blow-dry styling, or makeup artistry, according to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This bill also allows the relevant boards to adopt rules to implement these changes and addresses the transition from natural hair care specialist licensure to certification. S 656 is set to become effective on October 1, 2025.
• House Bill 912 (HB 912) regarding cosmetology licensure is not yet passed as of August 21, 2025. It's likely still under consideration in the North Carolina General Assembly. 

It's also worth noting that in 2024, North Carolina merged its independent barbering and cosmetology boards into a single regulatory body, according to WITN. In summary: North Carolina has recently passed legislation (S 607) that makes some changes to cosmetology licensure requirements, primarily related to blow-drying and shampooing services. Another bill (S 656) affecting cosmetic art deregulation is set to become effective in late 2025. HB 912 is still pending. 

Here's a summary of recent and current legislative activity affecting the cosmetology industry in South Carolina:

Bills NOT passed into law

• SB 857 (2023-2024 session): Mobile Cosmetology Services
  • This bill, establishes a framework for licensing and regulating mobile salons and portable cosmetologist, esthetician, or nail technician operations.
  • It defines these operations and outlines requirements for obtaining permits, such as submitting applications, undergoing inspections (annual inspections required for mobile salons), and adhering to sanitation and safety standards.
  • The law prohibits mobile salons from operating within sight or a one-hundred-yard radius of a registered salon.
  • Additionally, it increases the required training hours for esthetician licensure from 450 to 600 hours. However, students enrolled in esthetician programs before July 1, 2024, could have been licensed under the previous 450-hour requirement. 

Bills in the 2025-2026 legislative session

• S. 539: Advanced Estheticians
  • This bill proposes to establish a new category of licensed professionals called "advanced estheticians".
  • Advanced estheticians would be licensed to perform standard esthetician services plus advanced procedures like high-frequency treatments, microcurrent, micro-needling, dermaplaning, and specific chemical peels.
  • The licensing board would be required to conduct examinations for advanced estheticians at least three times a year.
• H. 4186: Barbers and Cosmetologists
  • This bill includes provisions that would allow licensed cosmetologists, estheticians, and nail technicians to work at clients' homes or event venues with proper permits (portable operations), similar to barbers.
  • It also proposes to exempt makeup artists from requiring a cosmetology license and create an "express styling" exemption for basic services like shampooing, conditioning, blow-drying, hair braiding, and thermal styling.
  • This bill additionally proposes to increase esthetician training hours from 450 to 600.
• H. 3481: Off-Site Cosmetology Services
  • This bill focuses specifically on allowing licensed cosmetologists, estheticians, and nail technicians to provide services outside of a licensed salon, at clients' homes or approved event venues.
  • It also removes a restriction in the existing law that limited out-of-salon work to emergencies. 

Other relevant information

• License Sharing/Lending: The South Carolina Board of Cosmetology has clarified its stance on duplicate license requests to address concerns regarding the abuse of license sharing/lending. 

Here's an update regarding recent changes or proposed changes to cosmetology regulations in Virginia related to nails, skin, and hair:

• Cosmetology Licensure Compact: Virginia introduced and passed House Bill 322 (HB 322) in 2024 to join the Cosmetology Licensure Compact. This compact aims to simplify interstate cosmetology practice and regulation, potentially allowing licensed cosmetologists to obtain a multi-state license and work in participating states without additional requirements, according to Associated Hair Professionals. Once seven states pass the bill, the Compact could become operational in late 2025 or 2026, says the DPOR Virginia (.gov).
• Changes to Cosmetologist Definition: House Bill 2669 (HB 2669) in the Virginia Code amended the definitions of "cosmetologist" and "cosmetology" to clarify and narrow their scope. Specifically, "cosmetic treatments" were removed from the definition, and the focus shifted to more specific practices like hair removal, basic facial treatments (cleanse, tone, mask/moisturizer), and hair-related services (cutting, styling, coloring, shaping). Hair braiding was explicitly excluded from the cosmetology definition, and shaving references were modified.
• Temporary License Duration Extension: The Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetology (Board) has proposed rules to extend the duration of temporary licenses for barbers, master barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, master estheticians, nail technicians, and wax technicians from 45 to 90 days. This change aims to address delays in applicants receiving their permanent licenses and allow them to work under supervision for a longer period while waiting to pass their licensing exam. Additionally, the proposed rules would no longer require applicants to schedule their theory exam before receiving a temporary license. The anticipated effective date for these changes is August 15, 2024.
• Nail Care: Only licensed nail technicians and cosmetologists are allowed to perform nail care services for compensation in Virginia, and these services must be provided in a licensed nail salon or cosmetology salon. 

In summary, Virginia has recently made changes and proposed further changes to its cosmetology regulations, including joining the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, refining the definition of cosmetology, and extending the duration of temporary licenses. These changes affect individuals practicing or aspiring to practice in areas such as nails, skin, and hair care within the Commonwealth.