October 2008
Texas Barber & Cosmetology News
(512) 463-6599 or 1-800-803-9202
www.license.state.tx.us
COSMETOLOGY PROGRAM
P.O. Box 12088 Austin, Texas 78711
cs.cosmetologists@license.state.tx.us
Did you know that if your license expires on or after September 1, 2008, operators, manicurists, facialists, hair weavers, hair braiders, wig specialists, and shampoo/conditioning specialists who hold an active license are required to complete six hours of department-approved continuing education (CE)?
To renew an instructor/manicure/facial instructor specialty license that expired on or after September 1, 2008, a licensee must complete a total of six hours of department-approved continuing education.
There is good news for cosmetology licensees who are 65 years old or older and have held a cosmetology license for at least 15 years. You are only required to complete two (2) hours in a health and safety department-approved CE course.
After you successfully complete your continuing education courses the approved CE provider is required to submit your information to TDLR. If you take a course from one or more provider, each provider will transmit the information to TDLR and also issue you a certificate of course completion.
TDLR posts the provider course completion information on the department’s web site for your review. You can check and verify the information is correct. If you have questions, please contact TDLR: by phone, (512) 463-6599 or toll-free in Texas (800) 803-9202; or by e-mail ce@license.state.tx.us.
Remember: renew your license and take the continuing education courses before your license expiration date.
Olisa Hunt has been with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Customer Service Department two years. She graciously agreed to highlight a frequently asked barber or cosmetology questions the TDLR Contact Center receives in the TDLR DID YOU KNOW? column.
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| Jonathan Steinberg, Assistant General Counsel of TDLR, displays manicurist, facialist and cosmetologist licenses revoked in connection with the Victorian Beauty College scam . |
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) investigators continue to investigate charges against former students of Victorian Beauty College (VBC). Recent Agreed Orders against seven individuals raised the number of VBC related orders to thirty-eight.
VBC, a Houston-based cosmetology school, was known across the United States as a school where an individual could pay someone to take the licensing examination for them. The seven recently revoked licenses were obtained through fraudulent or deceitful acts by individuals. Together, students and staff of VBC arranged for someone to take the examination for the student, the person used the student’s name and pertinent information.
“We do not tolerate cheating; paying someone to pose as you and take the test using your name and relevant information is deceit,” explains William Kuntz, executive director of TDLR. “TDLR is tracking down the people who cheated to obtain their license. It is wrong and unfair to those students who attend class and study to pass the exam. Plus, it is putting the citizens of Texas at risk of contracting infections because these students did not demonstrate their knowledge of the health and safety lessons students are taught.”
In 2007 Victorian Beauty College and its owners signed an agreed order to pay a fine of $250,000 and to relinquish all licenses held by the owners and staff. They also agreed to furnish TDLR with information about “students” across the United States who either bought required class hours or had state examinations taken for them by VBC personnel.
“TDLR will continue its investigations based on the information furnished by Victorian Beauty College,” continued Kuntz. “We are sending a message to all students and schools who engage in the buying and selling of required school hours or with obtaining a license through fraudulent or deceptive means: we will find you and will take away the license you hold by a deceptive act.”
Past news releases regarding the Victorian Beauty College case can be viewed on the TDLR website, http://www.license.state.tx.us/press.htm. It has been over a year since TDLR began its initial examination into the facts and it is still an unfinished investigation. Stay tuned to the Stylist for the next chapter.
September 1st approximately 38,600 licensed cosmetologists and barbers provided professional services in Harris, Galveston or Brazoria counties. Two weeks later thousands of Texans living in one of the ninety-nine counties listed in Texas Governor Rick Perry’s Disaster Declaration found themselves displaced: living with family or friends, in motels or in shelters. They left their homes in a hurry, packing as much as they could in a short period of time. For many the last thing on their mind was the fact they may not return home; they may not be able to go back to work at their shop. When they evacuated they left their tools and their Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) license behind. High winds and water destroyed or damaged many barber shops and beauty salons and the equipment and belongings inside. These cosmetologists and barbers now find themselves looking for work in a new city with perhaps only a driver’s license or a TDLR issued pocket identification card to prove they are eligible to work.
If you are a shop or salon owner and want to expedite license verification for these licensed professionals use the TDLR website. The TDLR home page has a link entitled “Search Licensees By License Type.” Click on the link and a search page will allow you to enter the potential employee’s license number, name or other identifying information to confirm a valid license.
No access to a computer? The TDLR Customer Service can help verify the licensee has a current license. Call us toll free in Texas (800) 803-9209 or (512) 463-6599.
Working together we can help the thousands of evacuee barbers and cosmetologists get back to work and begin the journey back from Hurricane Ike’s unwelcomed visit.
| Cosmetology Vital Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Operators | 103,504 |
| Manicurists | 30,508 |
| Facial specialists | 11,755 |
| Hair braiding/weaving salons | 123 |
| Weavers | 176 |
| Braiders | 613 |
| Shampoo specialists | 166 |
| Wig specialists | 22 |
| Shampoo apprentices | 10,962 |
| Operator instructors | 4,001 |
| Manicure instructors | 44 |
| Facial instructors | 74 |
| Wig instructors | |
| Students | 18,278 |
| Schools | 386 |
| Salons | 20,963 |
| Manicure salons | 1,410 |
| Facial salons | 530 |
| Facial/manicure salons | 3,707 |
| Wig salons | 35 |
| Independent contractors | 35,577 |
| Dual shop/salon | 116* |
| * Dual number listed in cosmetology statistics | |
| Barber Vital Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Barbers | 12,853 |
| Barber manicurists | 396 |
| Barber technicians | 20 |
| Barber instructors | 144 |
| Students | 1,473 |
| Schools | 38 |
| Barber shops | 5,469 |
| Barber manicure shops | 127 |
| Class A Barber booth rentals | 3,256 |
| Barber manicure booth rentals | 65 |
| Barber hair braiding specialist | 31 |
| Barber hair braiding shops | 1 |
| Dual shop/salon | 116* |
| * Dual number listed in cosmetology statistics | |
Texas Barber & Cosmetology News
(512) 463-6599 or 1-800-803-9202
www.license.state.tx.us
COSMETOLOGY PROGRAM
P.O. Box 12088 Austin, Texas 78711
cs.cosmetologists@license.state.tx.us
Cosmetology Advisory Board:
Clive Lamb, Presiding Officer
Kerin Haney, Vice Presiding Officer
Diane Salazar
Glenda Jemison
Allison Leigh Kincy
Zelda Moore
BARBER PROGRAM
P.O. Box 13489 Austin, Texas 78711
cs.barbers@license.state.tx.us
Barber Advisory Board:
Linda G. Connor, Presiding Officer
Dean Hudson, Jr, Vice Presiding Officer
Ronald Brown,
Joseph B. Grondin,
Vacancy
Commissioners:
Frank Denton, Chair
LuAnn Roberts Morgan, Vice Chair
Mike Arismendez,
Lewis Benavides,
Lilian Norman-Keeney,
Fred N. Moses,
Deborah Yurco,
William Kuntz, Exec. Director
