S 2858Licensing & Accreditation

Businesses and Professions - Eyelash Services Licensing and Regulation Act

Mandates licensing, training, and safety standards for eyelash service technicians and salons to protect public health.

Held for study

Population
Affected

Introduced Mar 4, 2026Committee Senate Health & Human Services

Plain-English Summary

This bill establishes a new licensing and regulatory system for individuals and businesses providing eyelash services, such as extensions, lifts, and tinting. Citing a high volume of health complaints regarding infections and injuries, the legislation requires technicians to complete at least 50 hours of training, pass an exam, and pay a $100 fee to obtain a license. Salons must also obtain a permit and adhere to safety standards. The Department of Health is granted authority to inspect facilities and issue fines of $500 per violation for non-compliance or unlicensed practice.

For younger readers

This law creates new rules for people who put on fake eyelashes or dye eyelashes as a job. Because some people were getting eye infections or getting hurt by glue, the government wants to make sure the workers know how to do it safely. Now, workers must go to school for training and pass a test to get a license. Shops that offer these services must follow strict cleaning rules. If they don't follow the rules or work without a license, they will have to pay a fine.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Eyelash service techniciansSalon and spa ownersCosmetology schoolsConsumers of beauty servicesDepartment of Health

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

Eyelash Technicians: $100/application

Estimated revenue

$100/license application, $500/violation fine

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Enhances public health and safety protections for consumers, reducing the risk of infections and injuries caused by untrained practitioners in an unregulated market.
Legitimizes the profession by establishing educational standards and credentials, potentially leading to higher wages and better working conditions for skilled laborers in the beauty industry.
Creates a self-funding enforcement mechanism where fines from violators support the regulatory oversight, rather than drawing resources away from other social safety net programs.
Imposes financial and time barriers (tuition for 50 hours of schooling and fees) that may disproportionately exclude low-income individuals from entering the workforce or legalizing their current business.
The $500 daily fines could be financially ruinous for small, independent micro-entrepreneurs, potentially criminalizing poverty if they cannot afford immediate compliance.
Increases state surveillance and policing of small businesses through expanded inspection authority, which often disproportionately targets minority-owned businesses in the personal care sector.

For Conservatives

Establishes a "user fee" system where the cost of regulation is borne by the industry participants and violators through fees and fines, rather than the general taxpayer.
Protects legitimate, law-abiding business owners from unfair competition by cracking down on unregulated, "black market" operators who cut corners on safety.
Upholds the rule of law by creating clear statutory definitions and penalties for negligence that results in physical injury to consumers.
Expands government bureaucracy and red tape by creating a new licensure category for a cosmetic service, interfering with the free market and the right to earn a living.
Grants the state broad authority to enter and inspect private businesses, infringing on property rights and increasing the size of the administrative state.
imposes arbitrary educational requirements (50 hours) that act as a gatekeeping mechanism, stifling entrepreneurship and increasing costs for consumers.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 57 additions

SECTION 1. Findings. The General Assembly finds and declares:

(1) There is a significant regulatory gap in the oversight of eyelash services, including the application, removal, and add-on of eyelash extensions, as well as lash lifts and tinting.

(2) The Rhode Island department of health receives in excess of one hundred fifty (150) complaints annually relating to cosmetology establishments, with approximately ninety percent (90%) concerning eyelash services, including improper adhesive use, infections, and vision-related injuries.

(3) The department currently maintains limited inspection capacity relative to the number of licensed establishments statewide.

(4) The purpose of this chapter is to protect public health and safety by establishing licensure standards, business permitting requirements, inspection authority, and enforcement mechanisms for eyelash services.

SECTION 2. Title 5 of the General Laws entitled "BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 5-97-1. Short title. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Eyelash Services Licensing and Regulation Act." 5-97-2. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) "Department" means the Rhode Island department of health.

(2) "Division" means the division of professional regulation within the department of labor and training.

(3) "Establishment" means any retail shop, salon, or facility where eyelash services are provided to the public.

(4) "Eyelash services" means the application, removal, and add-on of eyelash extensions, as well as lash lifts and eyelash tinting.

(5) "Eyelash service technician" means a person licensed pursuant to this chapter to provide eyelash services. 5-97-3. License required for eyelash service technicians.

(a) No person shall engage in the practice of eyelash services for compensation unless licensed as an eyelash service technician pursuant to this chapter.

(b) An applicant for licensure shall:

(1) Submit an application to the division on a form prescribed by the division;

(2) Pay an application fee of one hundred dollars ($100);

(3) Provide evidence of completion of not less than fifty (50) hours of instruction in eyelash services at a cosmetology school approved by the state;

(4) Successfully pass a written examination and a practical examination administered or approved by the State of Rhode Island; and

(5) Meet such additional education, training, and competency standards as may be established by regulation.

(c) A license issued under this chapter shall authorize the individual to perform only eyelash services and shall not authorize the practice of cosmetology, esthetics, or any other licensed profession. 5-97-4. Establishment license and permit required.

(a) Any establishment offering eyelash services shall obtain:

(1) A retail license issued by the appropriate municipal authority, if required; and

(2) A permit and license to operate issued by the department.

(b) The licensed technician and/or business owner operating the establishment shall ensure that the establishment complies with all health, sanitation, and safety standards established by rules and regulations promulgated by the department or the division.

(c) No establishment shall employ or permit an unlicensed individual to perform eyelash services. 5-97-5. Regulatory authority.

(a) The department shall have authority to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement and enforce the provisions of this chapter including, but not limited to, standards for sanitation, infection control, adhesive use, ventilation, recordkeeping, and consumer protection.

(b) The department may conduct inspections of licensed establishments and shall investigate complaints.

(c) The department is authorized to assess administrative fines for violations of this chapter or any rules or regulations promulgated pursuant to this section.

(d) Revenue derived from fines and fees under this chapter shall be deposited into a restricted receipt account within the department to support enforcement activities, including inspection capacity, and to offset regulatory costs. 5-97-6. Penalties.

(a) Any individual who practices as an eyelash service technician without a valid license issued pursuant to this chapter shall be subject to an administrative fine of five hundred dollars ($500) per violation.

(b) Any facility or business owner operating an establishment offering eyelash services without proper licensure or permit shall be subject to an administrative fine of five hundred dollars ($500) per violation.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.