January 2009

In This Issue:

• Message From The Secretary
• Message from the Chair
• Message From The Executive Director
• Rule Reminders
• Material Data Safety Sheets
• Continuing Education
• Licensee Numbers
• eNewsroom

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Message From The Secretary

Back in August, when I was appointed the Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, I set several goals for my first few months. Now that we are in the holiday season and nearing the end of this year, I have taken the time to reflect on those goals and assess my progress. I would like to share some of these goals and the progress we have made in reaching those goals during my time as Secretary.

One of the first goals I set for myself was to improve the licensure application process. We have started to achieve this goal by examining our applications and comparing them to law and rule. We want to ensure that we are only asking from you what the laws and rules require and nothing more. In several instances, we have been asking for more than what is required. We are now removing those requirements. We also are identifying requirements that are in law and rule that may no longer be necessary. In those cases, we will be asking the legislature and individual boards for their input. This is a tedious task but an important one, and I am pleased with the progress we have made.

Within my first few weeks as Secretary, I realized that it can be difficult working in a statewide agency based in Tallahassee, as I am not always readily able to meet with customers in other areas of the state. Knowing that insight provided by the end-user is the most valuable, I wanted to develop an initiative based on that fact. That is why we started the "On the Road to Better Business." I have traveled to our district offices across the state and given licensees the opportunity to meet with me in person. I have brought their feedback back to Tallahassee, and we are already making changes based on the feedback from those meetings.

Meeting with licensees and consumers provided me with great insight, but I also wanted to meet and form relationships with my fellow Governor appointees. DBPR provides services and support to 19 different boards and councils. It was my goal to meet or attend one meeting of each professional board before the end of the year. Looking back, this was a lofty goal. Although I will be just shy of my goal by the end of the December, I am scheduled to meet with all of the Boards before the end of January. I know that as public servants, we have the same goal to provide great service to our licensees and protect the public. We must work together to achieve our goals.

My first few months as Secretary of DBPR have been so rewarding. We have made great progress and we are working hard to achieve our goals. As I continue to assess our progress, we will have achieved some goals, some will carry over into next year and new goals will be created. We will continue to look for ways to serve you better while keeping public safety as our first priority. It is our duty to you and the citizens of Florida.

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Message from the Chair, Myra Jowers

Greetings from your Florida Board of Cosmetology!

As we enter the New Year, and in these economic hard times, we, in the service industries, must be especially diligent in delivering exemplary service and value to our loyal clients, students, and colleagues.

With service in mind, our Executive Director, Robyn Barineau, Board Vice Chair, Donna Osborn, and I had the opportunity to attend the annual National Interstate Council of Cosmetology Boards (NIC) convention in late October. This group of board members and directors is dedicated, as are we, to continuously upgrading and legitimatizing our profession. We were able to connect with other teachers, board members, and administrators committed to keeping our clients safe and healthy by regulation and enforcement of those well-crafted regulations. We were enlightened by other states’ implementation of combined boards, their approaches to laser services, and the varied educational requirements throughout the United States. What a pleasure it was to network and have fun with this group. We look forward to continuing our association and participation with NIC.

Please note that we have several legislative changes which were included in HB601, which passed during the 2008 legislative session. Those changes have not yet been implemented but will be in the near future. You can find these changes, as well as other important reminders, on the board’s Web site at www.MyFloridaLicense.com > Direct to our Divisions > Professions > Cosmetology. Please stay informed with what is going on in the cosmetology industry by checking the Web site and by attending a board meeting. Unfounded rumors are rampant, frequently used by competing organizations as scare tactics - be informed, ask us.

As always, we welcome and encourage you to attend our meetings, also listed on the Web site. You have a voice, and we appreciate any productive input that you can offer to make our great state even better, cosmetologically!

Best wishes and a Happy New Year to all!

Myra Jowers, Chair
Board of Cosmetology

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Message from the Executive Director,
Robyn Barineau

2008 was a very busy year for the Florida Board of Cosmetology. The board has worked hard to protect the public and to address industry concerns.

Have you heard about fish pedicures? This topic is currently being addressed by the board and other boards of cosmetology across the nation. The board office was contacted in late summer about whether or not fish pedicures are allowed in Florida cosmetology salons. At their July and October meetings, board members discussed this issue and asked their board counsel to send letters to the Generals Counsel of the Florida Department of Health, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida Game and Fish Commission to solicit their input. Fish pedicures will again be discussed at the January 2009 Board of Cosmetology meeting. Stay tuned!

The board is currently promulgating some very important rules which include an allowance for cosmetology students to apply for examination and licensure after completion of 1,100 educational hours, but they must provide proof of completion of 1,200 educational hours before they are allowed to examine, and they must take the examination at least one time within six months after approval of their application; expanding the facial specialty curriculum; and amending the supervised practice exception for cosmetology applicants. Again, please stay tuned to the board’s Web site. As soon as these rules are finalized, they will be posted on the Web site under “Important Information (Hot Topics).”

As a reminder, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Board of Cosmetology are always concerned about unlicensed activity in the cosmetology industry. There is a toll-free telephone number to contact if you suspect any unlicensed activity going on in your area. That toll free telephone number is 1.866.532.1440, or, you may download a Uniform Complaint Form located at www.MyFloridaLicense.com > For Consumers > File a Complaint against a Business or Professional and mail it to the department once it has been completed. It is incumbent upon you to police your area and report unlicensed activity to the department. You have worked hard to obtain and maintain your license and others should be held to the same standards.

The board has tentatively scheduled their meetings for 2009. To accommodate as many individuals as possible, the board will host two of their 2009 meetings in Orlando, one in Jacksonville, and another in Tampa. Be sure to check the board meeting schedule included in this newsletter. Should your schedule permit, please join us for a meeting and be enlightened by the work of your board. I would welcome the opportunity to be able to meet you.

Best wishes for a prosperous 2009!

Robyn Barineau, Executive Director
Board of Cosmetology

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Rule Reminders

Rule 61G5-18.0055, Florida Administrative Code, clearly defines the supervised practice exception and when applicants can go to work after completing their education. It is the responsibility of the applicant and the salon owner to ensure that they know the rule and are compliant with its requirements.

Rule 61G5-20.002(2), Florida Administrative Code, requires detailed sterilization and disinfection of pedicure equipment. It also requires that pedicure equipment be sanitized after each patron, at the end of the day, and at the end of the week. The salon must also keep a record or log book containing the dates and times of all pedicure cleaning and disinfection procedures. You may refer to the rule text for complete details for pedicure equipment sanitation.

Rule 61G5-20.004, Florida Administrative Code, requires all cosmetology licensees to permanently laminate their license, including a 2” X 2” photograph taken within the previous two years, for posting at their work station. You may refer to the rule text for complete details for license lamination.

Rule 61G5-20.004, Florida Administrative Code, also requires that all salons must display at each footbath a copy of the Consumer Protection Notice regarding footbaths, sanitation, and safety. A copy of the notice can be downloaded from the board’s Web site at www.MyFloridaLicense.com > Direct to our Divisions > Board of Cosmetology > Information for Licensees, or you may contact the department’s Customer Contact Center at 850.487.1395 for a copy.

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Material Data Safety Sheets

Did you know that whenever you purchase products from a supply store you can request a material data safety sheet (MSDS)? Supply stores are required to provide you with an MSDS if you ask for one. An MSDS will inform you of the ingredients contained in a product and the potential hazards of the product such as Methyl Methacrylate (MMA).

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Continuing Education Tidbits

Continuing education providers should update reference materials, including board laws and rules, and copyright dates when submitting course renewals for consideration.

To receive credit for completing a Board-approved continuing education course, you must complete the course within the two-year period you are renewing. In other words, if you complete 18 hours of Board-approved continuing education, the credit will be assessed against the current two-year licensing period. You are not able to carry forward the two-hour overage for a future renewal.

Also, please ensure that you maintain copies of your course completion certificates for a minimum of three years. You can access your continuing education account information via the Department’s Web site at www.MyFloridaLicense.com. If you do not see that your continuing education credits have been posted to your account, contact the course provider to ensure they have properly submitted your course completion information to the department.

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Licensee Numbers

As of November 30, 2008, the Board of Cosmetology has the following licensure numbers:

License	Current, Active	Current, Inactive
Cosmetologists	85,104	851
Manicure/Pedicure/Nail Extension Specialists	32,377	244
Facial Specialists	16,633	110
Full Specialists	14,432	48
Hair Braiders	1,241	1
Hair Wrappers	282	1
Body Wrappers	2,362	2
Cosmetology Salons	20,690
Mobile Cosmetology Salons	22

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eNewsroom

Check out DBPR's eNewsroom, your source for important Department news and information. Here, you can watch public service announcements, read news releases, and subscribe to and flip through our publications

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Visit us on the Web at www.MyFloridaLicense.com