LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Last month, Senate Bill 14 was signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky. The law expands the State Board of Cosmetology and adds a licensed nail technician and an esthetician to the group.
Nail technician, salon and nail school owner Di Tran has been advocating for change for three years.
“How are you going to know the specific when you don’t have the master in each of that specific field speaking about it, when you build in policy for that? That’s what this bill is about. Inclusivity and to allow, you know, diversity in expertise,” said Tran.
Curtis Nelson III is an aspiring beauty industry entrepreneur and student at Louisville Beauty Academy. He says as a new student, he didn’t know that the people on the board didn’t represent specific cosmetology fields. He thinks it’s in the best interest of cosmetology to have people that can advocate for their peers.
“Having a board that not only do you have people that represent and know the field, but they’re also in touch with what other states are doing,” said Nelson.
Nail technician student Diana Vega says this change will benefit the beauty industry as a whole with decision-making. “They will understand better of what’s happening in the nail industry, the new things that are coming, the new technology that’s coming. And they’ll just help us advance more with new things for school, maybe new technology, new product, better products,” said Vega.
Beauty school instructor Crystal Beeler says these changes will allow future students to have a voice and to have a balance on the board.
“I would hope and pray that the first thing they look at is: multi-language. That’s a big thing with me. If you want Kentucky to be employed, you know, we have to, you know, work with people that are willing to work,” said Beeler.
Tran says this new law will eliminate the roadblocks in building a new beauty workforce, and provide diversity and inclusion for specific expertise.
“Now, this bill, is passed. Everyone is feeling, ‘Hey, I am being included now.’ The voice can come in from multiple angles. We also increase the safety and sanitation for the customer,” said Tran.
Tran says the new law is only going to build Kentucky’s economy and beauty community. The bill also prohibits the board from criminalizing salons and requires a warning notice be given for violations along with allowing applicants to retake any failed examination for an unlimited number of times.