Promoting the Barber Profession
e-mail contact: webmaster@texasbarber.com
Currently the barber license fee is $90. The cosmetology operator fee is $53.
Both industries were put into TDLR in 2005.
TDLR has all operations for the industries they regulate lumped together. There is only one licensing department, one enforcement department, one set of inspectors, etc. Therefore, the cost of issuing and regulating a barber license should be identical to that of a cosmetology license. Either the appropriation for cosmtologists is radically low, or the appropriation for barbers is radically high. In either case, there is no justification for charging barbers a higher license fee than cosmetologists. Cosmetologist now pay a license fee of $53 and barbers pay a license fee of $90.
The following paragraph from the 2005 Appropriations Bill resticts TDLR's ability to reduce barber fees.
15. Board of Barber Examiners Fee Rates. The Board of Barber Examiners shall not reduce fees to generate less revenue for the 2006-07 biennium than $2,056,000 (Object Code 3175) that is included in the Comptroller's Biennial Revenue Estimate for fiscal years 2006 and 2007.
Source: http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Bill_79/6_Conference/79-6_Art08-a_0505.pdf,
Document page: VIII-36
Adobe Acrobat file page 36 of 42
The total appropriation for cosmetology regulation was $2,272,316 in FY 2006 and $2,134,813 in FY 2007. The budget includes an estimate of approximately 96,500 new and renewed licenses per year.
The total for barber regulation was $588,907 in FY 2006 and $563,908 in FY 2007. The budget includes an estimate of approximately 7,000 new and renewed licenses per year.
The Appropriations bill should require that barber fees be no higher than cosmetology fees.
The TDLR Commission approved major changes to the sanitary rules and regulations for barbers on February 2, 2006.
To date, TDLR as failed to properly notify licensees of the rule changes as promised by the Texas State Board of Barber Examiners, when they raised license fees by $10 for a newsletter.
The Texas State Board of Barber Examiners increased the Barbers, Manicurists, Barber Technicians, and Wig Specialists license fees by $10, effective March 1, 2005, for a newsletter. The Texas State Board of Barber Examiners website announced the newsletter fee increase and explained exactly what it was for.
"This increase is for the purpose of regularly publishing a NEWSLETTER to be sent to all licensees and will contain any changes in laws, rules, and policies enacted by the Legislature or the Barber Board and any other information of interest to the barbering community."
Click here to view the archive of the
Texas State Board of Barber Examiners website,
which explains what the newsletter fee is for.
The Texas State Board of Barber Examiners sent out one newsletter in August 2005.
TDLR has not sent out a newsletter in the 18 months that they have been collecting the newsletter fee.
There are approximately 13,000 barbers who renew their licenses every two years. The amount of the newsletter fee collected by TDLR in the 18 months that they have been regulating the barber industry would be about $97,500.
In the barber law before SB 411 (79R), (§ 1601.152 (b)), the executive director was required to send out the sanitary rules and regulations to each licensee. This was done out of the appropriated funds.
Since TDLR has take over regulation of barbers, sanitation rules and regulations have not been sent to licensees, even though TDLR has been collecting the newsletter fee from licensees specifically for that purpose. In a March 14 reply to a request for public information, TDLR replied " ... TDLR does not have a separate account code for the barber newsletter fee and does not track those fees independently of other like revenue. We do have an estimate of what those fees have been for the past 24 month period: $114.200. ..."
So, TDLR doesn't really know how much money is being collected, or where it is being spent!
March 22nd, TDLR provided documentation for the expenses for the August 2005 newsletter. Printing costs were $5936.16. Mailing costs were $4915.00. For total cost of $10,851.16
Based on these figures, TDLR could have sent out an additional 9 newsletters. To date, they have sent none.
TDLR recommends that all barbers and barber school operators
review the proposed rule revisions,
Link to Proposed Rules
The TDLR Commission approved a Barber Penalty Matrix at their meeting on
February 2, 2006, which will be incorporated in the TDLR Enforcement Plan.
The new penalties are large, and increase substantially for second and third violations.
Link to the Enforcement Plan
Link Barber Penalties and Sanctions
Link to Barber Schools Penalties and Sanctions
Each state agency is required to prepare a Strategic Plan every two years. TDLR is soliciting input from barbers. This is the time to let TDLR know what they are doing well and what needs to be improved. They are now laying the plans for the future. Please attend the meeting or send in your comments.
Link More Information About TDLR's Strategic Planning Process
"The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation Thursday adopted emergency rules that will allow the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to issue provisional occupational licenses and waive licensing fees for evacuees who came to Texas when they were forced from their homes by Hurricane Katrina."
Link to September 8th press release
Link to Provisional License Application Forms and Information
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) conducted focus group meetings around the state to give information and receive input from barbers, cosmetologists, shop and school owners. Text and audio of some of the meetings are available at: http://www.license.state.tx.us/barbers/barberstrat.htm#schedule
The Texas Barber website is provided as a public service and is not
affiliated with any government agency.
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Updated 4APR07 1213 CDT