HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2547        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1973

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Christine P. Barber

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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:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2547        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1973

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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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:
 

Section 1.  Chapter 112 is hereby amended by inserting at the end of the first paragraph of Section 87BB the following:

No license will be issued to or renewed for any school unless it offers training of at least one hour in domestic violence and sexual assault awareness and requires its students to attend such training.

Section 2.  Chapter 112 is hereby amended by adding Section 87CC ½:

To obtain a license issued by the Board as an Aesthetician, Barber, Cosmetologist, Electrologist, Hairdresser or Manicurist, or as an Instructor, Assistant Instructor, or Junior Assistant Instructor thereof as applicable, and for any license renewal, the applicant is required to complete one hour of domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education by a provider approved by the Board.

A licensed Aesthetician, Barber, Cosmetologist, Electrologist, Hairdresser or Manicurist, or Instructor, Assistant Instructor, or Junior Assistant Instructor thereof who completes the domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education, or his or her employer, shall not be civilly or criminally liable for acting in good faith or failing to act on information obtained during the course of employment concerning potential domestic violence or sexual assault.

Section 3.  Chapter 112 is hereby amended by inserting at the end of the second paragraph of Section 87JJ the following:

No license will be issued to or renewed for any post-secondary institution unless it offers training of at least one hour in domestic violence and sexual assault awareness and requires its students to attend such training.

Section 4.  Chapter 112 is hereby amended by adding the following subsection to Section 229:

(d)  To obtain a license issued by the Board as a Massage Therapist or Massage Practitioner, and for any license renewal, the applicant is required to complete one hour of domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education by a provider approved by the Board.

A licensed Massage Therapist or Massage Practitioner who completes the domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education, or his or her employer, shall not be civilly or criminally liable for acting in good faith or failing to act on information obtained during the course of employment concerning potential domestic violence or sexual assault.

Section 5.  Chapter 112, Section 233, is hereby amended by inserting after the sentence: “No school or entity may teach massage therapy unless licensed by the Board.” and prior to the sentence: “No person may instruct in a massage school unless he is licensed by the board.” the following:

No license will be issued to or renewed for any school teaching massage therapy unless it offers training of at least one hour in domestic violence and sexual assault awareness and requires its students to attend such training.