Kansas lawmakers say licenses aren't needed to remove pubic hair with sugaring technique

Kansas lawmakers have sent a bill to Gov. Laura Kelly that would deregulate a hair removal technique, a move that would allow unlicensed workers to remove genital hair from minors without going through background checks.

Senate Bill 434 would exempt the sugaring hair removal technique from regulation by the Kansas Board of Cosmetology.

It started as a relatively noncontroversial bill framed as cutting through bureaucratic red tape to allow a young entrepreneur to provide a hair removal service using a centuries-old all-natural technique. The legislation only had supporters when the Senate's public health committee held a hearing in February, and it passed that chamber in a near unanimous vote.

But when a House committee heard testimony earlier this month, four licensed cosmetologists testified against it. Zero of the supporters were licensed cosmetologists.

After getting input from industry professionals, the House still passed the bill Tuesday but without a veto-proof majority.

Hays mom wants to do sugaring without going to school

"This is an occupational licensing issue," said Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays. "We have got to allow Kansans to make a living, and that's all Bryn Green wants to do."

Wasinger said Green is a Hays resident and one of her constituents. Green wants to start a sugaring business, but doesn't want to spend a year and pay $16,000 to $20,000 for cosmetology school, as required by government regulations.

"Bryn has a young child and cannot afford the time or money to go to school," Wasinger said.

Going to school would require learning other hair techniques that she has no intention of providing, and the schools might not teach sugaring anyway.

"Allowing this to be operated outside of the government licensing barriers is essential for freedom in Kansas," Wasinger said. "Sugaring is not relevant to the purview of cosmetology."

Board of cosmetology is being sued over sugaring regulations

Meanwhile, Green is suing the Kansas Board of Cosmetology in Shawnee County District Court. The lawsuit filed in October alleges the board's occupational licensing system as it applies to sugaring is unconstitutional and should be blocked.

She is being represented by the Kansas Justice Institute, while the board is represented by Attorney General Kris Kobach's office, which has asked the court to dismiss the case.

Because of the pending legislation, Judge Teresa Watson earlier this month delayed deadlines for further filings. The Kansas Justice Institute is one of the supporters of the bill.

Kansas cosmetologists opposed deregulating sugaring

While SB 434 saw little opposition in the Senate, it was rocky in the House. The 71-52 vote would be 13 yes votes away from overriding a veto — if the governor vetoes it.

Rep. Jo Ella Hoye, D-Lenexa, credited cosmetologists who "raised the alarm" in the House committee, where "we heard from people who actually offer this service."

"As we heard from testimony, 80% of sugaring clients are for pubic hair removal," she said, while "in Kansas, we do not have any age requirements or parental consent to be able to have waxing services."

Government licensure comes with background checks.

"We don't want sexual predators to be operating in this business," Hoye said.

She said sexually transmitted diseases could potentially spread without proper care to sanitation and public health standards.

"The reason we have so many regulations in place for cosmetology services is because the individuals are touching another human being," Hoye said. "You are in the same room with someone in an intimate setting. You are touching their genitalia, their face.

"Do you want to make sure that when that person dips their hand into the sugaring paste that they have a clean glove? Do you want your eyebrows to have sugar paste removal with a glove that just went in there touching someone else's genitalia?"

No inspections, just a brochure and self-test

Rep. Mike Amyx, D-Lawrence, owns a barbershop and has hired licensed barbers and cosmetologists. He said, "There has to be protection for the public."

When Amyx asked Wasinger how a member of the public would file a complaint against a provider, Wasinger said they could go to court.

"We're also talking about a free market system that will not allow someone to be dirty, not taking care of business," Wasinger said. "Their business will close."

"But who's going to do those inspections?" Amyx asked. "Anybody?"

"I don't think you need an inspection," Wasinger replied.

She also pointed to a provision in the bill that would have the Kansas Department of Health and Environment update an existing brochure to include infection control techniques applicable to sugaring. The brochure includes a self-test that must be completed.

Rep. Silas Miller, D-Wichita, who is a licensed cosmetologist and a licensed cosmetology instructor, said the notion that providing a brochure is enough infection control is "a slap in the face to me and to every licensed cosmetologist."

"This woman wants to have a business and this is not taught in cosmetology schools," Wasinger said.

Miller said that isn't true.

"I can assure you that it is most definitely taught in both schools that I worked at and almost every school in this state," he said. "Sugaring is taught in schools. Students are taught hundreds of hours of foundational knowledge regarding infection control, proper implement sanitation, blood spill procedures, the science of skin and hair, etc., before they are event allowed to touch a real person."

Miller said training is for good reason, as without proper training, "It is very easy to cause harm when performing these services." He said sugaring is an advanced service taught only to advanced students in the final stages of their curriculum.

"Yes, it is more gentle than waxing," he said, "but it is just as easy to cause damage and injury to someone when you are not properly trained."

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Sugaring pubic hair removal technique could go unlicensed in Kansas