Adopted

AMENDMENT NO 1 TO COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO 1 PROPOSED TO

House Bill No.  454

BY: Senator(s) Frazier, Mettetal, Horhn, Jordan, Jackson (11th)

     Amend by inserting after line 820 the following:

          (d)  Natural hair care, as defined in Section 73-71-1.

     Further, amend by inserting after line 991 the following:

     SECTION *.  The following shall be codified as Section 73-71-1, Mississippi Code of 1972:

     73-71-1.  (1)  No person shall engage in natural hair care for compensation within the State of Mississippi without first registering with the State Department of Health.  For the purposes of this section, "natural hair care" means any techniques which result in tension or hair strands such as twisting, wrapping, weaving, extending, locking or braiding of the hair by hand or mechanical device, and the maintenance thereof, but does not include the application of dyes, reactive chemicals or other preparations to alter the color of the hair or to straighten, curl or alter the structure of the hair.  Registration shall be valid for two (2) years, and each person registered under this section shall pay a biennial registration fee to the department in an amount set by the department, but not to exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00), which fee shall be uniform for all registered persons.

     (2)  The State Board of Health shall promulgate rules and regulations relating to:

          (a)  Health, cleanliness and general sanitation of the facilities or premises in which natural hair care is performed;

          (b)  Sterilization of natural hair care equipment;

          (c)  Procedures to prevent the transmission of disease or infection during or relating to natural hair care, specifically including, but not limited to, transmission of lice and diseases of the scalp; and

          (d)  Such other administrative provisions as may be necessary to properly administer the requirements of this section.

     (3)  Representatives of the department may visit any facility or premises in which natural hair care is performed at any time during business hours to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section and the rules and regulations promulgated under this section.  The department may suspend or revoke the registration of any person found to be in violation of any of the rules or regulations promulgated under this section.

     (4)  Any person who engages in natural hair care for compensation without first registering with the department or after his registration has been suspended or revoked by the department is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).

     (5)  The department is authorized to bring an action for an injunction under the provisions of Sections 73-51-1 through 73-51-5 to prohibit any person who is required to be registered under this section from engaging in natural hair care without first registering with the department or after his registration has been suspended or revoked by the department.

     (6)  This chapter shall not apply to cosmetologists, barbers or wig specialists licensed to practice in Mississippi in their respective fields.

     Further, amend the title by inserting after the semicolon on line 5 the following:

TO CODIFY SECTION 73-71-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE NATURAL HAIR CARE AND AUTHORIZE REGULATION OF THE PRACTICE THEREOF; TO AMEND SECTION 73-7-31, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM;