Barbering and cosmetology.

The standard for federally recognized tribes seeking licensure was changed from being 'otherwise compliant with the requirements of a licensee' to being 'otherwise compliant with the requirements of the Barbering and Cosmetology Act.' This broadens what tribes must comply with, potentially imposing more obligations than just those applicable to individual licensees.

The requirement that each apprenticeship program sponsor have an agreement with only one local educational agency, and that the agency be within the same geographical area as the sponsor, was removed. Sponsors can now presumably work with multiple or out-of-area educational agencies.

The separate requirement for a program sponsor to 'provide a list of locations approved by the local educational agency for delivery of related training' was consolidated into the existing change-notification provision, which now simply requires reporting changes to the location list within 10 days.

Several drafting errors were corrected: a duplicated word 'board' in Section 7321(d)(1), a duplicated word 'reason' in Section 7333(e), and a duplicated phrase 'this list the list of locations' in Section 7332.1(b)(6).

New Section 7321 establishes cosmetologist licensure requirements, including a requirement that applicants provide official transcripts as evidence of completing an approved cosmetology course. Qualification pathways include school completion, equivalent out-of-state practice (3 months = 100 hours), barber-to-cosmetologist crossover, or completed apprenticeship.

The bill now amends Sections 7362, 7362.1, 7362.2, and 7362.3 of the Business and Professions Code, which based on the digest relate to school approval requirements (eliminating minimum student enrollment thresholds and requiring pre-operating board approval) and remedial education program completion deadlines with penalties for non-completion.

Section 7333(e) now carves out an exception to the prohibition on financial contracts between a program sponsor and apprentice: an employment contract is permitted if the employer is also the approved program sponsor. This allows sponsors who own establishments to formally employ their apprentices.

Section 7332.1(b)(4) now requires the local educational agency agreement to include specific details for each training location: establishment name, physical address, website (if available), and lead contact person with name, email, and phone number. The agreement must also include a current date, expiration date if applicable, and a statement that the program does not charge tuition and complies with Education Code Sections 48053 and 76350.

The digest indicates the bill would require board-approved schools in cosmetology, barbering, or electrology to be approved before operating, and would eliminate the existing requirement for a minimum number of bona fide full-time students.

The digest indicates the bill would require completion of a board-offered remedial education course within a specified regulatory time period, and would require the board to impose the original penalty if the course is not completed in time.

Section 7332(a) now requires that an apprentice be registered as an apprentice with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards in addition to being employed by a licensed establishment owner and supervised by a board-approved licensee.

Section 7333 changes the referenced official from 'administrator of apprenticeship' to 'Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards,' clarifying which state official approves apprenticeship standards. The redundant duplication of subsections (a) and (b) in the Senate version was consolidated into a single subsection, with remaining subsections renumbered.

Section 7334.5 expands the list of parties subject to disciplinary action, citation, fines, and prohibition from hiring future apprentices to include 'apprenticeship program sponsor' in addition to trainers and establishment owners.

New Section 7332.1 creates the 'apprenticeship program sponsor' concept and requires sponsors (joint apprenticeship committees, unilateral management committees, labor apprenticeship committees, or individual employers) to apply to the board with proof of Division of Apprenticeship Standards approval, a detailed training outline, an agreement with a local educational agency in the same geographic area, and a copy of the apprenticeship agreement. Approval expires after two years unless renewed.

New Section 7333 requires apprentice training programs to comply with the Shelley-Maloney Apprentice Labor Standards Act of 1939, prohibits charging any fees beyond actual cost of textbooks and minimum equipment, bans franchising or lending of program sponsor approval, requires verification of workers' compensation insurance and wage payment, prohibits financial contracts with apprentices, and bars commission pay, station rental, and independent contractor classification for apprentices. Violations are deemed 'egregious' under Section 7407.1.

New Section 7334.1 authorizes the board to approve individual licensed barbers, cosmetologists, or electrologists as on-the-job trainers, requiring them to be present at all times during services, follow the approved training plan, maintain accurate records, and certify they have no outstanding fines or pending/past disciplinary actions.

New Section 7334.2 authorizes the board to approve establishments to employ apprentice trainers, requiring the apprentice to be present with their trainer at all times during services, workers' compensation insurance for the entire employment duration, hourly wage payment per the apprenticeship agreement (no booth rental, no independent contractor status, no commission pay, no pay by service), and certification of no outstanding fines or disciplinary actions.

New Section 7332.2 requires that a program sponsor first be approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards before board approval, and authorizes the board to revoke, suspend, or deny approval for unprofessional conduct (incompetence, gross negligence, related criminal convictions, false advertising), failure to comply with the chapter or Shelley-Maloney Act, repeated rule violations, false statements, and failure to provide information.

Section 7334.5 expanded to include 'apprenticeship program sponsor' alongside trainer and establishment owner as parties subject to disciplinary action, citation, fines, and prohibition from hiring future apprentices for non-compliance with apprenticeship laws.

The bill's scope expanded to amend Section 7333 (newly added) and add Sections 7332.1, 7332.2, 7334.1, and 7334.2 in addition to the previously listed sections.

State-mandated local program determination changed from 'no' to 'yes' because the bill now imposes a state-mandated local program through its expansion of the perjury crime.

The State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology's existence is extended from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2031, giving the board four additional years of authority before it would be subject to legislative review.

The bill's scope expanded from amending only Section 7348 to amending seven sections (7303, 7317, 7332, 7334, 7347, 7348, 7407.1) and adding two new sections (7315.5, 7334.5).

New Section 7315.5 requires the board to license federally recognized tribes that apply and meet compliance requirements, while exempting them from Secretary of State registration and good standing requirements. The section also explicitly protects tribal sovereignty by stating nothing in the chapter confers regulatory authority over activities within a tribe's jurisdiction.

Section 7317 expands the unlicensed practice prohibition to include partnerships and limited liability companies, not just persons, firms, and corporations. This change triggers a state-mandated local program designation.

New Section 7334.5 makes failure to comply with apprenticeship laws by a trainer or establishment owner grounds for disciplinary action, citation and fines, and prohibition from hiring future apprentices.

Section 7407.1 gives the board authority to determine by regulation when fines apply to both the establishment and individual licensee versus only one, and requires the board to establish a remedial education program in lieu of a first offense health and safety violation, with an optional fee to cover administrative costs.

Apprenticeship rules are significantly tightened: apprentices must now be employed by the owner of a licensed establishment, must be supervised at all times (an unsupervised apprentice is deemed to be practicing unlicensed), cannot be the only person working in the establishment, must submit a copy of their apprentice agreement, and must complete preapprentice training before serving the public.

Section 7347 expands establishment licensing to partnerships and LLCs, requires corporations and LLCs to be registered and in good standing with the Secretary of State (with automatic license suspension after a 30-day cure period), and adds labor law acknowledgment requirements to applications.