FLORENCE, Ky. — Nail technicians across the commonwealth have urged lawmakers to pass a cosmetology bill aimed at streamlining the licensing process for technicians and ensuring more representation on the board.
Lianna Nguyen is the first Asian to be named to the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology. She has over 15 years of experience in the beauty industry and currently owns the first nail-only focused beauty school in northern Kentucky.
A little filing, drilling and paint application, is how Nguyen’s students learn their craft.
Nguyen said, "I always let them practice on me.”
Nguyen graduated from cosmetology school when she was 16 years old.
She said, "After school, I would go to nail school with my best friend because we wanted to make sure that if college didn’t work out, that we would have a backup plan.”
As she reflected on her new role as the first Asian woman to serve on the Kentucky Board of Cosmetolgy, she said, "it’s definitely the diversity that is needed. Not only that is, I specialize in nails, so I feel like my ideas can actually help push the state of Kentucky into a better future."
Nguyen was one of over two dozen nail technicians protesting outside of the state Capitol in Frankfort in January. She says Senate Bill 14 will improve the level of opportunity for all technicians, especially those whose first language isn’t English.
“It is quite important because with the current law, students only get three times to take the test. If they fail, they would have to go back to school for 80 hours and then wait for six months,” Nguyen said.
Past and current students say Nguyen saw their struggles and worked to make the test more accessible.
Recent graduate, Chongrak “June” Arundorn said, "My brain has to work to change to English and (to) think in Thai and then sometimes it’s like a trick word. It’s really hard. So if in my language is going to be much easier.”
While current student, Destiny Layne said, "These students, she had worked their tail off, and they just they couldn’t pass the test because they didn’t speak the language, even though they knew all the criteria and they knew everything.”
Nguyen says opportunity doesn’t matter if the playing field isn’t attainable.
"It gives students or transfers from different states a chance for more opportunities to take the test. So they’ll get to take the test once a month. And there isn’t like a ban. And that’s definitely what we need,” Nguyen added.
SB 14 goes into effect on July 1, 2024. This 90-day period allows for administrative preparations by state agencies, such as the Kentucky State Board of Cosmetology, to update regulations and procedures.