OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
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42
H.B. 158 Final Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for H.B. 158’s Fiscal Note
Primary Sponsors: Reps. Roemer and M. Miller
Effective date: October 24, 2024
Effective Date:
Kailey Henry, Research Analyst
SUMMARY
Cosmetology and Barber licensing laws
School licenses
▪ Eliminates the barber school license and school of cosmetology license, and instead
creates a single school license.
▪ Establishes the requirements for a school license that are similar to the former
requirements for a barber school or school of cosmetology license.
▪ Allows a school to employ individuals who are not licensed barber instructors to teach
subjects related to business and management at the school.
▪ Allows an applicant meeting the act’s requirements to renew an expired barber school or
school of cosmetology license as a school license, and extends the licensing term for a
barber school license set to expire on August 31, 2026, until January 31, 2027.
Disciplinary actions
▪ Modifies the list of reasons for which the State Cosmetology and Barber Board may take
disciplinary action against a person for a violation of the Barber Law.
▪ Changes the amount of a fine the Board may impose for a violation of the Barber Law,
and requires the Board to certify a fine that remains unpaid for 91 days to the Attorney
General for collection.
▪ Allows the Board to enter into a consent agreement with a license holder in lieu of an
adjudication under the Barber Law.
▪ Makes it permissive, rather than mandatory, for the Board to report to the proper
prosecuting officer violations of the Cosmetology Law governing unauthorized practice,
August 9, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
and adds that the Board may report violations of the Barber Law to the proper
prosecuting officer.
Barber Law changes
▪ Modifies the requirements for a barber license by changing the minimum age and adding
that an applicant must submit certain documentation with the license application.
▪ Modifies the minimum passing score for barber examinations, and eliminates waiting
periods to reapply to retake parts of an examination and required additional study in
certain circumstances.
▪ Establishes a fee of not more than $100 for each time an applicant applies to take an
examination for which the applicant previously applied to take but failed to appear.
▪ Requires the Board to issue a temporary pre-examination work permit to practice
barbering to an individual who applies for and is eligible to take the examination required
for a barber license if the individual meets certain conditions.
▪ Changes the “barber teacher” and “assistant barber teacher” licenses to “barber
instructor” and “assistant barber instructor” licenses, and modifies the requirements for
the licenses.
▪ Establishes a fee of not more than $150 for issuing or renewing an assistant barber
instructor license.
▪ Modifies the requirements for a barber shop license and specifies that a barber shop
license is not transferrable from one owner to another or from one location to another.
▪ Prohibits an individual from providing massage therapy, cosmetic therapy, or any other
professional service in a barber shop without a current, valid license or Board
authorization.
▪ Expands the list of individuals engaged in certain professions who are exempt from
regulation under the Barber Law.
Cosmetology Law changes
▪ Modifies the requirements for a cosmetology practicing license, advanced license, or
instructor license.
▪ Eliminates the temporary work permit allowing an individual holding an inactive
practicing, advanced, or cosmetology instructor license to practice or teach a branch of
cosmetology.
▪ Removes requirements relating to education level and disclosing where an applicant is
practicing for a boutique services registration.
▪ Establishes civil penalties for violations of the Cosmetology Law relating to unlicensed
practice and fraud and eliminates the criminal penalties for those violations.
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Final Analysis
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Changes to Barber and Cosmetology Laws
▪ Permits any individual to file a confidential complaint with the Board alleging that an
individual, salon, barber shop, school, or tanning facility has violated the Barber Law or
Cosmetology Law or rules adopted under either law.
▪ Eliminates the requirement that an applicant for an independent contractor license hold
either a barber shop or salon license and specifies the requirements the applicant must
meet to be issued the license.
▪ Permits, rather than requires, the Board to adopt rules to establish a continuing education
requirement for the holder of a barber, barber instructor, or assistant barber instructor
license to renew the license.
▪ Removes, for purposes of renewing a cosmetology license or boutique services
registration, the Board’s authority to extend the period for a licensee or registrant to
complete continuing education requirements and charge a fine for that extension.
▪ Allows an individual licensed in another country to teach the theory and practice of
barbering to apply for a barber instructor or assistant barber instructor license.
▪ Removes the requirement that, to be issued a license by the Board, an applicant hold a
license from a country that extends similar reciprocity to individuals holding a license the
Board issues.
▪ Expands the Board’s authority to develop procedures to classify as inactive a barber
license, barber instructor license, or assistant barber instructor license.
▪ Establishes the fees to restore an expired assistant barber instructor license and increases
the cap on the restoration fee for an expired barber license.
▪ Adds that the holder of an expired barber instructor or assistant barber instructor license
must pay a restoration fee to have the license restored.
▪ Requires the holder of an expired barber, barber instructor, assistant barber instructor,
or a practicing or advanced cosmetology license to complete continuing education
requirements for ordinary license renewal to restore the license.
▪ Makes the fees charged by the Board under continuing law nonrefundable.
▪ Establishes that the statutory amount is the ceiling for a fee and makes other changes to
the amount of fees charged under the Barber Law.
▪ Allows a license or registration holder to practice barbering or a branch of cosmetology
on a dead human body at a funeral home or embalming facility.
Cosmetology Licensure Compact
▪ Enters Ohio as a party to the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, the purpose of which is to
facilitate the interstate practice and regulation of cosmetology and improve public access
to and safety of cosmetology services.
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Final Analysis
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▪ As a member of the Compact, requires Ohio to allow a cosmetologist licensed in another
member state to practice in Ohio, subject to Ohio’s laws and rules governing the practice
of cosmetology.
▪ Requires the Board to appoint a member to the Cosmetology Licensure Compact
Commission, a joint public agency created by the Compact to enforce the provisions and
rules of the Compact.
▪ Requires Ohio to submit data regarding cosmetology licensees to the Commission’s data
system, including information related to licensure, adverse action, and the presence of
investigative information.
For-profit hospitals – police officers
▪ Extends the Secretary of State’s authority to appoint and commission police officers for
specified entities to for-profit hospitals meeting certain conditions.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cosmetology and Barber licensing laws ......................................................................................... 6
School licenses............................................................................................................................. 6
Unlicensed instructors ............................................................................................................ 7
School license fee ................................................................................................................... 7
Conversion of barber school or school of cosmetology license ............................................. 7
Disciplinary actions ...................................................................................................................... 8
Reasons for taking disciplinary action .................................................................................... 8
Types of disciplinary actions ................................................................................................... 9
Fines ........................................................................................................................................ 9
Hearings and consent agreements ....................................................................................... 10
Reporting violations.............................................................................................................. 10
Injunctions ............................................................................................................................ 11
Barber Law changes .................................................................................................................. 11
Barber licenses...................................................................................................................... 11
Barber examinations ............................................................................................................ 11
Barber instructors and assistant barber instructors ............................................................ 11
Barber shops ......................................................................................................................... 12
Similar provisions to the Cosmetology Law .............................................................................. 12
Cosmetology Law changes ........................................................................................................ 13
Cosmetology license applications ........................................................................................ 13
Temporary work permits ...................................................................................................... 14
Boutique services registration .............................................................................................. 14
Braiding and the practice of braiding ................................................................................... 15
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Practice of natural hair styling .............................................................................................. 15
Advanced cosmetology licenses ........................................................................................... 15
Penalties for violations of the Cosmetology Law ................................................................. 15
Inmates providing cosmetology services ............................................................................. 15
Changes to Barber and Cosmetology Laws ............................................................................... 15
Complaints ............................................................................................................................ 15
Independent contractor licenses.......................................................................................... 16
License renewal and continuing education .......................................................................... 17
License endorsement ........................................................................................................... 17
Inactive license restoration .................................................................................................. 18
Expired license restoration ................................................................................................... 18
Fees ....................................................................................................................................... 19
Infection control ................................................................................................................... 19
Practice in a funeral home.................................................................................................... 20
Administration ........................................................................................................................... 20
Board membership ............................................................................................................... 20
Annual report ....................................................................................................................... 20
Cosmetology Licensure Compact.................................................................................................. 21
State participation in the Compact ........................................................................................... 21
Home state licensure................................................................................................................. 22
Multistate license to practice cosmetology .............................................................................. 22
Temporary special occasion work permits ........................................................................... 23
Adverse actions ......................................................................................................................... 23
Compact Commission ................................................................................................................ 24
Powers and duties ................................................................................................................ 24
Data system .......................................................................................................................... 25
Commission finances ............................................................................................................ 25
Executive Committee ........................................................................................................... 25
Meetings ............................................................................................................................... 26
Rulemaking ........................................................................................................................... 26
Qualified immunity, defense, and indemnification.............................................................. 27
Enforcement and dispute resolution ........................................................................................ 27
Conflict with state law ............................................................................................................... 27
Compact amendment................................................................................................................ 27
Withdrawal and termination ..................................................................................................... 28
Construction and severability ................................................................................................... 28
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Final Analysis
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For-profit hospitals – police officers ............................................................................................. 28
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Cosmetology and Barber licensing laws
The act amends a number of provisions in the Barber Law1 to resemble simil