State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology: physical and sexual abuse awareness training.

Existing law, the Barbering and Cosmetology Act, establishes the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology for the licensure and regulation of barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, manicurists, electrologists, and apprentices. Existing law requires the board to carry out a list of duties, including making rules and regulations, conducting and administering license examinations, issuing licenses to qualified applicants, and disciplining persons who violate the act. Existing law requires the board to admit to a licensing examination an applicant who meets certain qualifications, including having completed one or more approved courses, as specified. Existing law requires the board to determine by regulation the required subjects of instruction to be completed in all approved courses. Existing law requires the board to develop or adopt a health and safety course on hazardous substances which is required to be taught in schools approved by the board. Existing law, commencing July 1, 2017, requires the health and safety course to additionally cover basic labor laws. This bill, commencing July 1, 2019, would require the health and safety course to additionally cover physical and sexual abuse awareness. This bill would authorize the board to promote physical and sexual abuse awareness, as specified, by means of mail, television, radio, motion picture, newspaper, book, Internet, or other electronic communication. Existing law requires the board to establish a Health and Safety Advisory Committee to provide the board with advice and recommendations on health and safety issues before the board. Existing law, commencing July 1, 2017, requires the committee's advice and recommendation to be on health and safety issues before the board that impact licensees, including how to ensure licensees are aware of basic labor laws, as specified. This bill, commencing July 1, 2019, would require the committee's advice and recommendation to additionally include how to ensure licensees have awareness about physical and sexual abuse, as specified, their clients may be experiencing. Existing law imposes criminal and civil liability on certain professionals, including child care providers, clergy, educators, law enforcement, and medical professionals, for the failure to report child abuse. Existing law requires any person who reasonably believes that he or she has observed the commission of specified violent crimes against a victim under 14 years of age to notify a peace officer, as defined. This bill, commencing July 1, 2019, would specify that licensed barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, manicurists, electrologists, and applicants for licensure who complete the physical and sexual abuse awareness training covered by the health and safety course, and their employers, are not required to act on information obtained during the course of employment concerning potential physical and sexual abuse unless otherwise required by law.