Pennsylvania SB 331: An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the Cosmetology Licensure Compact; and providing for the form of the compact.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 300 PRINTER'S NO. 1426
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 331
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY ARGALL, ROTHMAN, CULVER, VOGEL, FONTANA, COSTA,
SCHWANK AND BROWN, FEBRUARY 28, 2025
SENATOR STEFANO, CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
AS AMENDED, FEBRUARY 4, 2026
AN ACT
Authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the
Cosmetology Licensure Compact; and providing for the form of
the compact.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Cosmetology
Licensure Compact Act.
Section 2. Authority to execute compact.
The Governor, on behalf of the Commonwealth, is hereby
authorized to execute a compact in substantially the following
form with any one or more of the states of the United States and
the General Assembly hereby signifies in advance its approval
and ratification of the compact:
COSMETOLOGY LICENSURE COMPACT
SECTION 1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Compact is to facilitate the interstate
practice and regulation of Cosmetology with the goal of
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improving public access to, and the safety of, Cosmetology
Services and reducing unnecessary burdens related to Cosmetology
licensure. Through this Compact, the Member States seek to
establish a regulatory framework which provides for a new
multistate licensing program. Through this new licensing
program, the Member States seek to provide increased value and
mobility to licensed Cosmetologists in the Member States, while
ensuring the provision of safe, effective, and reliable services
to the public.
This Compact is designed to achieve the following objectives,
and the Member States hereby ratify the same intentions by
subscribing hereto:
A. Provide opportunities for interstate practice by
Cosmetologists who meet uniform requirements for multistate
licensure;
B. Enhance the abilities of Member States to protect public
health and safety, and prevent fraud and unlicensed activity
within the profession;
C. Ensure and encourage cooperation between Member States in
the licensure and regulation of the Practice of Cosmetology;
D. Support relocating military members and their spouses;
E. Facilitate the exchange of information between Member
States related to the licensure, investigation, and discipline
of the Practice of Cosmetology;
F. Provide for the licensure and mobility of the workforce in
the profession, while addressing the shortage of workers and
lessening the associated burdens on the Member States.
SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS
As used in this Compact, and except as otherwise provided,
the following definitions shall govern the terms herein:
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A. "Active Military Member" means any person with full-time
duty status in the armed forces of the United States, including
members of the National Guard and Reserve.
B. "Adverse Action" means any administrative, civil,
equitable, or criminal action permitted by a Member State's laws
which is imposed by a State Licensing Authority or other
regulatory body against a Cosmetologist, including actions
against an individual's license or Authorization to Practice
such as revocation, suspension, probation, monitoring of the
Licensee, limitation of the Licensee's practice, or any other
Encumbrance on a license affecting an individual's ability to
participate in the Cosmetology industry, including the issuance
of a cease and desist order.
C. "Authorization to Practice" means a legal authorization
associated with a Multistate License permitting the Practice of
Cosmetology in that Remote State, which shall be subject to the
enforcement jurisdiction of the State Licensing Authority in
that Remote State.
D. "Alternative Program" means a non-disciplinary monitoring
or prosecutorial diversion program approved by a Member State's
State Licensing Authority.
E. "Background Check" means the submission of information for
an applicant for the purpose of obtaining that applicant's
criminal history record information, as further defined in 28
C.F.R. § 20.3(d), from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and
the agency responsible for retaining State criminal or
disciplinary history in the applicant's Home State.
F. "Charter Member State" means Member States who have
enacted legislation to adopt this Compact where such legislation
predates the effective date of this Compact as defined in
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Article 13.
G. "Commission" means the government agency whose membership
consists of all States that have enacted this Compact, which is
known as the Cosmetology Licensure Compact Commission, as
defined in Article 9, and which shall operate as an
instrumentality of the Member States.
H. "Cosmetologist" means an individual licensed in their Home
State to practice Cosm