EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
*hb1547*
HOUSE BILL 1547
C3 (5lr3617)
ENROLLED BILL
— Economic Matters/Education, Energy, and the Environment —
Introduced by Delegate A. Jones
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at __ ______________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Barbers and Cosmetologists – License Qualifications – Domestic Violence 2
Awareness Training 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the State Board of Barbers and the State Board of 4
Cosmetologists to require as a qualification for licensure an applicant to complete 5
certain training in domestic violence awareness; requiring the Maryland 6
Department of Labor to develop and administer approve certain domestic violence 7
awareness training that includes certain guidance addresses certain topics; requiring 8
the State Board of Barbers and the State Board of Cosmetologists to require certain 9
licensees to complete a one–time training requirement to renew a certain license; 10
and generally relating to licensing qualifications for barbers and cosmetologists. 11
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 12
Article – Business Occupations and Professions 13
Section 4–201 and 5–201 14 2 HOUSE BILL 1547
Annotated Code of Maryland 1
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 2
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 3
Article – Business Occupations and Professions 4
Section 4–302, 5–304, and 5–305 5
Annotated Code of Maryland 6
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Business Occupations and Professions 9
Section 4–302.1 and 5–305.1 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Business Occupations and Professions 15
4–201. 16
There is a State Board of Barbers in the Department. 17
4–302. 18
(a) To qualify for a license to practice barbering or a barber–stylist limited license, 19
an applicant shall be an individual who meets the requirements of this section. 20
(b) (1) An applicant for a barber license shall have completed successfully: 21
(i) 1. a required program of at least 1,200 hours of training in a 22
barber school that is approved by the State Department of Education or the Maryland 23
Higher Education Commission, in consultation with the Board; or 24
[(ii)] 2. an apprenticeship of at least 2,250 hours within 2 years in 25
a barbershop that holds a barbershop permit under the supervision of a master barber; 26
AND 27
(II) 1 HOUR OF IN–PERSON OR VIRTUAL TR AINING IN DOMESTIC 28
VIOLENCE AWARENESS U NDER § 4–302.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 29
(2) If the applicant for a barber license is an individual trained and 30
currently licensed as a cosmetologist in the State, the Board shall: 31
HOUSE BILL 1547 3
(i) credit the applicant with having met one–half of the training 1
requirement of paragraph [(1)] (1)(I) of this subsection; and 2
(ii) determine the manner in which the credit will be applied. 3
(3) The Board may credit an applicant with the number of hours of training 4
the applicant completes in a barber school toward the number of hours required for an 5
apprenticeship if the barber school where the applicant completes the training: 6
(i) is located in a detention center or correctional facility; and 7
(ii) 1. is approved by the State Department of Education or the 8
Maryland Higher Education Commission; or 9
2. has a curriculum similar to one that is approved by the 10
State Department of Education or the Maryland Higher Education Commission. 11
(4) The Board may not credit more than 600 hours of training to an 12
individual under paragraph (3) of this subsection. 13
(c) (1) An applicant for a barber–stylist limited license shall have completed 14
successfully: 15
(i) 1. a required program of at least 900 hours of training in a 16
barber school that is approved by the State Department of Education or the Maryland 17
Higher Education Commission, in consultation with the Board; or 18
[(ii)] 2. an apprenticeship of at least 1,650 hours within 18 months 19
in a barbershop that holds a barbershop permit under the supervision of a master barber; 20
AND 21
(II) 1 HOUR OF IN–PERSON OR VIRTUAL TR AINING IN DOMESTIC 22
VIOLENCE AWARENESS U NDER § 4–302.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 23
(2) If the applicant for a barber–stylist license is an individual trained and 24
currently licensed as a cosmetologist in the State, the Board shall: 25
(i) credit the applicant with having met one–half of the training 26
requirement of paragraph [(1)] (1)(I) of this subsection; and 27
(ii) determine the manner in which the credit will be applied. 28
(3) The Board may credit an applicant with the number of hours of training 29
the applicant completes in a barber school toward the number of hours required for an 30
apprenticeship if the barber school where the applicant completes the training: 31
4 HOUSE BILL 1547
(i) is located in a detention center or correctional facility; and 1
(ii) 1. is approved by the State Department of Education or the 2
Maryland Higher Education Commission; or 3
2. has a curriculum similar to one that is approved by the 4
State Department of Education or the Maryland Higher Education Commission. 5
(4) The Board may not credit more than 450 hours of training to an 6
individual under paragraph (3) of this subsection. 7
(d) An applicant for a master barber license shall have at least 15 months of 8
experience as a barber. 9
(e) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, an applicant for a master 10
barber license shall pass an examination given by the Board or the Board’s designee under 11
this subtitle. 12
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, an applicant for a barber 13
license shall pass an examination given by the Board or the Board’s designee under this 14
subtitle. 15
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, an applicant for a 16
barber–stylist limited license shall pass an examination given by the Board or the Board’s 17
designee under this subtitle. 18
4–302.1. 19
(A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP AND ADMINIST ER A 1–HOUR 20
TRAINING FOR DOMESTI C VIOLENCE AWARENESS APPROVE TRAINING PRO GRAMS 21
THAT AN INDIVIDUAL M AY COMPLETE TO SATIS FY THE DOMESTIC VIOL ENCE 22
AWARENESS TRAINING R EQUIREMENTS OF THIS TITLE. 23
(B) THE A TRAINING DEVELOPED PROGRAM APPROVED UNDER 24
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHALL MUST: 25
(1) BE OFFERED IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY ; 26
(2) INCLUDE GUIDANCE ON : 27
(I) RECOGNIZING THE SIGN S OF DOMESTIC VIOLEN CE; 28
(II) STRATEGIES TO NAVIGA TE CONVERSATIONS WIT H CLIENTS 29
WHO MAY BE VICTIMS O F DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ; 30
HOUSE BILL 1547 5
(III) HOW TO LISTEN TO AND COMMUNIC ATE WITH VICTIMS OF 1
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ; AND 2
(IV) CONNECTING CLIENTS W ITH RESOURCES AND SU PPORT 3
GROUPS FOR VICTIMS O F DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ; AND 4
(3) BE PROVIDED TO EACH APPLICANT OR LICENSE E FREE OF 5
CHARGE HAVE A DURATION OF A T LEAST 1 HOUR. 6
5–201. 7
There is a State Board of Cosmetologists in the Department. 8
5–304. 9
(a) (1) To qualify for a license to practice as a cosmetologist, an applicant shall 10
be an individual who meets the requirements of this section. 11
(2) The applicant shall be at least 17 years old. 12
(3) The applicant shall have completed successfully a 9th grade education 13
or the equivalent. 14
(4) (i) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, an applicant 15
shall have received training by: 16
1. serving as a registered apprentice as provided under §§ 17
5–404 and 5–405(e) of this title; or 18
2. successfully completing a required program of at least 19
1,500 hours of training in a cosmetology school that is approved by the State Board of 20
Education or the Maryland Higher Education Commission in consultation with the Board. 21
(ii) If an applicant is a barber or master barber currently licensed in 22
this State, the Board shall: 23
1. credit the applicant with having met one–half of the 24
training requirements of subparagraph (i) of this paragraph; and 25
2. determine the manner in which the credit will be applied. 26
(iii) An applicant meets the requirements of this subsection if: 27
1. the applicant has held a cosmetologist license in another 28
state or foreign country and has actively practiced cosmetology in the other state or foreign 29
country for a period of 6 months; or 30 6 HOUSE BILL 1547
2. the applicant has been trained in a cosmetology school in 1
another state or foreign country that has standards substantially equivalent to or more 2
stringent than the standards of a school that is approved by the State Board of Education 3
or the Maryland Higher Education Commission in consultation with the Board. 4
(5) THE APPLICANT SHALL H AVE COMPLETED 1 HOUR OF IN–PERSON 5
OR VIRTUAL TRAINING IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AW ARENESS UNDER § 5–305.1 OF 6
THIS SUBTITLE. 7
[(5)] (6) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, the applicant shall 8
pass a written and practical examination given by the Board under this subtitle. 9
(b) To qualify for a license as a senior cosmetologist, an applicant shall: 10
(1) have 2 years of experience as a licensed cosmetologist; and 11
(2) pass an examination approved by the Board. 12
5–305. 13
(a) To qualify for a limited license to practice cosmetology, an applicant shall be 14
an individual who meets the requirements of this section. 15
(b) An applicant for a limited license to provide esthetic services shall: 16
(1) be at least 17 years old; 17
(2) have completed successfully a 9th grade education or the equivalent; 18
[and] 19
(3) have received training by: 20
(i) serving as a registered apprentice for at least 6 months as 21
provided under §§ 5–404 and 5–405 of this title; or 22
(ii) successfully completing at least 600 hours of instruction in 23
providing esthetic services in a cosmetology school approved by the State Department of 24
Education or the Maryland Higher Education Commission in consultation with the Board; 25
AND 26
(4) HAVE COMPLETED 1 HOUR OF IN–PERSON OR VIRTUAL TR AINING 27
IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS UND ER § 5–305.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 28
(c) An applicant for a limited license to provide hair services shall: 29
HOUSE BILL 1547 7
(1) be at least 17 years old; 1
(2) have completed successfully a 9th grade education or the equivalent; 2
[and] 3
(3) have received training by: 4
(i) serving as a registered apprentice for at least 15 months as 5
provided under §§ 5–404 and 5–405 of this title; or 6
(ii) successfully completing at least 1,200 hours of instruction 7
providing hair services in a cosmetology school approved by the State Department of 8
Education or the Maryland Higher Education Commission in consultation with the Board; 9
AND 10
(4) HAVE COMPLETED 1 HOUR OF IN–PERSON OR VIRTUAL TR AINING 11
IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS . 12
(d) An applicant for a limited license to provide hair services – blow drying shall: 13
(1) be at least 17 years old; 14
(2) have completed successfully a 9th grade education or the equivalent; 15
[and] 16
(3) have received training by successfully completing at least 350 hours of 17
instruction providing hair services – blow drying in a cosmetology school approved by the 18
State Department of Education or the Maryland Higher Education Commission in 19
consultation with the Board; AND 20
(4) HAVE COMPLETED 1 HOUR OF IN–PERSON OR VIRTUAL TR AINING 21
IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS. 22
(e) An applicant for a limited license to provide nail technician services shall: 23
(1) be at least 17 years old; 24
(2) have successfully completed a 9th grade education or the equivalent; 25
[and] 26
(3) have received training by: 27
(i) serving as a registered apprentice for at least 3 months as 28
provided under §§ 5–404 and 5–405 of this title; or 29
8 HOUSE BILL 1547
(ii) successfully completing at least 250 hours of instruction in 1
providing nail technician services in a cosmetology school approved by the State 2
Department of Education or the Maryland Higher Education Commission in consultation 3
with the Board; AND 4
(4) HAVE COMPLETED 1 HOUR OF IN–PERSON OR VIRTUAL TR AINING 5
IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS UNDER § 5–305.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 6
(f) If an applicant is licensed to practice as an esthetician, hairstylist, 7
hairstylist – blow drying technician, or nail technician in another state or foreign country, 8
the applicant meets the training requirements of this section if the applicant has held a 9
limited license in the other state or foreign country and has actively practiced in the other 10
state or foreign country for a period of 6 months. 11
(g) An applicant for a limited license shall pass an examination given by the 12
Board under this subtitle. 13
5–305.1. 14
(A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP AND ADMINIST ER A 1–HOUR 15
TRAINING FOR DOMESTI C VIOLENCE AWARENESS APPROVE TRAINING PRO GRAMS 16
THAT AN INDIVIDUAL M AY COMPLETE TO SATIS FY THE DOMESTIC VIOL ENCE 17
AWARENESS TRAINING R EQUIREMENTS OF THIS TITLE. 18
(B) THE A TRAINING DEVELOPED PROGRAM APPROVED UNDER 19
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHALL MUST: 20
(1) BE OFFERED IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY ; 21
(2) INCLUDE GUIDANCE ON : 22
(I) RECOGNIZING THE SIGN S OF DOMESTIC VIOLEN CE; 23
(II) STRATEGIES TO NAVIGA TE CONVERSATIONS WIT H CLIENTS 24
WHO MAY BE VICTIMS OF DOMEST IC VIOLENCE; 25
(III) HOW TO LISTEN TO AND COMMUNICATE WITH VIC TIMS OF 26
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ; AND 27
(IV) CONNECTING CLIENTS W ITH RESOURCES AND SU PPORT 28
GROUPS FOR VICTIMS O F DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ; AND 29
(3) BE PROVIDED TO EACH APPLICANT OR LICENSEE FREE OF 30
CHARGE HAVE A DURATION OF A T LEAST 1 HOUR. 31
HOUSE BILL 1547 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 1
(a) The State Board of Barbers shall require an individual who holds a license or 2
a limited license issued under Title 4 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article 3
before October 1, 2025, to complete the domestic violence awareness training under § 4
4–302.1 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this 5
Act, as a requirement for only the next renewal of the license or limited license. 6
(b) The State Board of Cosmetologists shall require an individual who holds a 7
license or limited license issued under Title 5 of the Business Occupations and Professions 8
Article before October 1, 2025, to complete the domestic violence awareness training under 9
§ 5–305.1 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article, as enacted by Section 1 of 10
this Act, as a requirement for only the next renewal of the license or limited license. 11
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12
October 1, 2025 January 1, 2026. 13
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.