SESSION OF 2024
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE BILL NO. 363
As Recommended by Senate Committee on
Public Health and Welfare

Brief*
SB 363 would amend law regulating the practice of
barbering. The bill would create a new senior status license;
add a written examination on the applicant’s knowledge of
state laws and regulations pertaining to the practice of
barbering to the requirements for licensure; establish the
passing grade on the written licensure exams; and set fees
for examination, reexamination, and licensure. The bill would
also amend certain definitions, remove language relating to
the issuance of seminar permits, and update terms.

Definitions
The following definitions would be amended:
● A suite or a chair lease area would be added to the
definition of a “barber shop”;
● “Barbering” would include the practices of shaving
of the head, face or neck with a razor and coloring,
bleaching, or tinting of the hair; and
● “Senior status license” would mean a license
issued to a barber pursuant to KSA 65-1812(d).


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*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
Senior Status License Requirements
The bill would create a senior status license and allow
the Kansas Board of Barbering (Board) to issue the license to
a barber who no longer practices, but:
● Has been licensed as a barber for a total of at least
40 years;
● Is at least 65 years of age; and
● Has paid a one-time fee prescribed by the Board.
Examinations for Licensure
In addition to the current requirement that the
examinations for licensure as a barber include a practical
skills demonstration and a written examination of the
applicant’s knowledge of hygiene and the fundamentals of the
vocation, the bill would require a written examination of the
applicant’s knowledge of state laws and rules and regulations
pertaining to the practice of barbering. The bill would require
all examinations to be approved by the Board.
The bill would require the Board to issue a license to
each applicant who passes all three examinations, with a
grade of not less than 80 percent on the practical skills
demonstration and not less than 75 percent on both written
examinations. Instead of requiring the Board to allow an
applicant who fails a part of the examination to be
reexamined only on the failed part, the bill would grant the
Board discretion in allowing the reexamination only on the
examination the applicant failed to pass.

Fees
The bill would allow the Board to charge and collect new
fees of no more than the stated statutory fee cap for each of
the following:
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 ● For practical skills demonstrations—no more than
$150;
● For reexamination of practical skills demonstration
—no more than $150;
● For reexamination of written examination of
applicant to practice barbering—no more than
$150;
● For issuance of a senior status license—no more
than $80; and
● For restoration of license from senior status
license---no more than $80.
The bill would increase the statutory fee cap for written
examinations from $100 to $150.

Additional Changes
The bill would update references of “barber college” to
“college” throughout the bill. The bill would also remove
language relating to information required to be included in the
application to practice barbering and references to the
issuance of seminar permits to teach and demonstrate the art
of advanced barbering.

Background
The bill was introduced by the Senate Committee on
Local Government at the request of Senator Bowers and the
bill referred to the Senate Committee on Public Health and
Welfare.


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Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare
In the Senate Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by the Administrative Officer of the Board. The
proponent stated lowering the written examination passing
score from 80 percent to 75 percent would be more in line
with the national average for a barber theory written
examination, as Kansas is the only state that requires a
passing score higher than 75 percent. The Administrative
Officer noted the fee change would enable the agency to
recover the majority of what it currently spends on testing for
both the computer-based testing for the written examination
and administering the practical examination. The
Administrative Officer also noted the Senior Status license
would enable individuals 65 and older who have been
practicing for at least 40 years to maintain a professional
license while no longer practicing and would allow such
licensees to return to active practice without paying late fees
or having to reexamine.
No other testimony was provided.

Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, the Board estimates enactment of the
bill would result in additional revenue of $13,000 in FY 2025
and FY 2026 from the practical skills demonstration fees for
the Board of Barbering Fee Fund. Based on current law, 10.0
percent of the revenue would be transferred to the State
General Fund, and the balance would go to the Board of
Barbering Fee Fund. The Board indicates that five practical
demonstration sessions are held each fiscal year and each
session costs $2,300.
In addition, the Board estimates it would cost $200 to
have the Department of Administration print the senior status
licenses. The Board would absorb the printing cost within
existing resources. The Board estimates it would only issue
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15 such licenses based on number of inquiries about senior
status licenses it has received in previous years. The agency
estimates 15 senior licensees would generate $1,200 (15 x
$80) in revenues. The Board further provides that issuing the
senior status license could be a loss in revenues after FY
2025 because the bill would not require the license to be
renewed. Any fiscal effect associated with the bill is not
reflected in The FY 2025 Governor’s Budget Report.
Kansas Board of Barbering; senior status license; license examinations; fees


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Statutes affected:
As introduced: 65-1808, 65-1809, 65-1812, 65-1810, 65-1815, 65-1817, 65-1819, 65-1820a, 65-1825a