1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 858 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 249
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Christine P. Barber and Paul J. Donato
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to mandate domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education for aestheticians,
barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, hairdressers, manicurists, and massage therapists.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex1/17/2023Paul J. Donato35th Middlesex1/17/2023Natalie M. Blais1st Franklin1/17/2023Sean Garballey23rd Middlesex1/26/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester2/6/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/7/2023Frank A. Moran17th Essex2/10/2023Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex2/13/2023Priscila S. Sousa6th Middlesex2/14/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/23/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 858 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 249
By Representatives Barber of Somerville and Donato of Medford, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 249) of Christine P. Barber, Paul J. Donato and others for legislation to mandate
domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education for aestheticians, barbers,
cosmetologists, electrologists, hairdressers, manicurists, and massage therapists. Consumer
Protection and Professional Licensure.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 311 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act to mandate domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education for aestheticians,
barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, hairdressers, manicurists, and massage therapists.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 1. Chapter 112 is hereby amended by inserting at the end of the first paragraph
2of Section 87BB the following:
3 No license will be issued to or renewed for any school unless it offers training of at least
4one hour in domestic violence and sexual assault awareness and requires its students to either
5attend a training in person or review a training online.
6 Section 2. Chapter 112 is hereby amended by adding Section 87CC ½: 2 of 3
7 To obtain a license issued by the Board as an Aesthetician, Barber, Cosmetologist,
8Electrologist, Hairdresser or Manicurist, or as an Instructor, Assistant Instructor, or Junior
9Assistant Instructor thereof as applicable, and for any license renewal, the applicant is required to
10complete, either in person or online, one hour of a free standardized domestic violence and
11sexual assault awareness training approved by the Board of Cosmetology.
12 A licensed Aesthetician, Barber, Cosmetologist, Electrologist, Hairdresser or Manicurist,
13or Instructor, Assistant Instructor, or Junior Assistant Instructor thereof who completes the
14domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education, or his or her employer, shall not be
15civilly or criminally liable for acting in good faith or failing to act on information obtained
16during the course of employment concerning potential domestic violence or sexual assault.
17 Section 3. Chapter 112 is hereby amended by inserting at the end of the second
18paragraph of Section 87JJ the following:
19 No license will be issued to or renewed for any post-secondary institution unless it offers
20training of at least one hour in domestic violence and sexual assault awareness and requires its
21students to either attend a training in person or review a training online.
22 Section 4. Chapter 112 is hereby amended by adding the following subsection to Section
23229:
24 (d) To obtain a license issued by the Board as a Massage Therapist or Massage
25Practitioner, and for any license renewal, the applicant is required to complete, either in person
26or online, one hour of a free standardized domestic violence and sexual assault awareness
27training approved by the board of cosmetology. 3 of 3
28 A licensed Massage Therapist or Massage Practitioner who completes the domestic
29violence and sexual assault awareness education, or his or her employer, shall not be civilly or
30criminally liable for acting in good faith or failing to act on information obtained during the
31course of employment concerning potential domestic violence or sexual assault.
32 Section 5. Chapter 112, Section 233, is hereby amended by inserting after the sentence:
33“No school or entity may teach massage therapy unless licensed by the Board.” and prior to the
34sentence: “No person may instruct in a massage school unless he is licensed by the board.” the
35following:
36 No license will be issued to or renewed for any school teaching massage therapy unless it
37offers training of at least one hour in domestic violence and sexual assault awareness and
38requires its students to either attend a training in person or review a training online.