SB 275: Barbers and Cosmetologists; State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers from the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State; remove

Currently, Georgia's State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers operates under the Secretary of State, which licenses barbers, cosmetologists, and related shops and schools. This bill moves the board into the Department of Public Health starting July 1, 2025, but keeps it independent from that department's control over its licensing, rule-making, and policy decisions. It replaces the old system, where a 'division director' under the Secretary of State handled administrative tasks, with a new board-appointed executive director who takes over those duties, including issuing licenses, keeping records, hiring investigators, and setting fees. The bill also spells out new board powers such as issuing cease and desist orders, referring cases for prosecution, entering contracts, and accepting donations. It sets rules for board member reimbursement, meeting venue, veteran licensing point credit, and judicial review of board decisions. Throughout the chapter, references to the old 'division director' are replaced with 'executive director.'

• Removes the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers from the Secretary of State's jurisdiction and makes it a division of the Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 2025.
• Keeps the board independent from the Department of Public Health for its licensing, rule-making, and policy decisions, while routing its budget requests through that department.
• Creates a new position of executive director, appointed and paid by the board, who takes over administrative duties previously held by the 'division director.'
• Grants the board expanded powers, including issuing cease and desist orders, subpoenaing witnesses, hiring investigators who can carry firearms and make arrests, and entering contracts.
• Sets new rules for board member travel reimbursement, meeting locations, veteran licensing point credit, and where legal challenges to board decisions must be filed.
• Replaces references to 'division director' with 'executive director' throughout the licensing, registration, and renewal provisions for cosmetologists, barbers, shops, and schools.

Licensed barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, nail technicians, and their apprentices; owners of beauty shops, salons, and barber schools; board members and staff; and state agencies including the Secretary of State's office and the Department of Public Health, which would gain administrative oversight of the board.

Licensees and shop owners would deal with a new executive director and a board housed in a different state agency, though day-to-day licensing, renewal, and fee processes would largely continue under the same rules. The board would also gain broader enforcement tools, including armed investigators and cease and desist authority.

• Section 1 adds a definition for 'executive director' and updates the definition of 'license' to reflect that the executive director, not a division director, issues licenses.
• Section 3 adds Code Section 43-10-2.1, moving the board to the Department of Public Health on July 1, 2025, while preserving its independence over licensing and policy decisions.
• Section 3 also adds Code Section 43-10-2.2, granting the board powers such as setting fees, issuing cease and desist orders, subpoenaing witnesses, and referring cases for criminal prosecution.
• Section 3(d) authorizes the board to hire investigators who, if certified as peace officers, may carry firearms and make arrests while performing their duties.
• Section 3(e) and (g) set venue rules, specifying that legal actions against board members and judicial review of board decisions occur in the county where the board is based.
• Section 4 revises board member reimbursement to follow the standard state expense and mileage allowance rules instead of the prior reimbursement code section.
• Sections 5 through 12 replace 'division director' with 'executive director' throughout the chapter's licensing, registration, renewal, and apprenticeship provisions.

1. 2025-02-27Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2025-02-26Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-43)Primary sponsor
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-17)
• Harold Jones II (D, SD-22)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-41)
• Nikki Merritt (D, SD-9)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-34)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-40)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-38)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-44)
• Donzella James (D, SD-28)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-35)
• Michael 'Doc' Rhett (D, SD-33)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-36)
• Freddie Powell Sims (D, SD-12)
• Emanuel Jones (D, SD-10)

• barbers and cosmetology licensing
• state agency reorganization
• professional licensing boards
• Department of Public Health
• Secretary of State oversight