Washington State is considering passage of a new Bill currently in review that would seriously affect the safety and health of anyone receiving Esthetics, Nails, Barber, and Hair services.

House Bill 1400 states that the Department of Licensing will, without the need for proper education and current testing standards, issue a license to anyone who proves ‘competency’ in the practice of their chosen modality.

Training for any career exists for a reason – we, as clients, patients, customers - need to be assured that the practitioners performing services on us are knowledgeable and have gone through rigorous enough training and subsequent testing that they will not harm us.  Training in any of these professions is vital to ensure client safety, it is neither “unnecessary” nor “redundant”, as the bill, written by people who have no training in any of these professions, claims. It undervalues our training and our license. ‘Competency’ cannot be the only benchmark to licensure. Anything worth having is worth fighting (and training) for. Proper education and training in any field takes time, commitment and dedication.

There are many avenues to proper education. There are many schools that offer Federal funding and grants, that offer VA funding, DVR funding, L&I funding, Tribal nations offer funding. Education should be the benchmark, and it is part of a larger discussion on how we can create more opportunities for everyone. That should be the focus of this discussion, not the potential path for deregulation. Instead of lowering the bar to enter these professions, we should be creating more avenues for access to proper, valid, education.

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE and DANGEROUS on so many levels. Please decide for yourself what your stance is on this Bill.

Please watch the Public Hearing here ( discussion for 1400 starting at about 1:20 mark):

https://www.tvw.org/watch/?eventID=2021021242

And read the HB 1400 Bill here:

http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1400.pdf?q=20210210121000

If you are opposed to this Bill, please contact your Local Representative for your District and voice your opinion. You can also contact these three individuals who introduced the Bill.

PLEASE CALL AND EMAIL, If you share on Social Media, please use #STOPBILL1400

1.Brandon Vick - 18th District - 564-888-2271 and brandon.vick@leg.wa.gov

2. Steve Kirby 29th District at 360-786-7996 and stephen.kirby@leg.wa.gov

3. Jeremie Dufault 15th District 509-698-5200 jeremie.dufault@leg.wagov

By signing this petition you are showing that YOU DO NOT SUPPORT HB 1400 and want to ensure the safety of all citizens of the State of Washington.