Promoting the Barber Profession
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K. Discussion and possible recommendation on the education summit and rule changes relating to curriculum requirements.
(Webmaster Comment) TDLR officials met November 17th with a few people to review the barber school curriculum. TDLR staff released the proposed changes to the barber curriculum in an e-mail to the barber list-serve on January 5th. The proposed curriculum files below are based on that e-mail.
View Proposed Curriculum (Adobe Acrobat Format)
View Proposed Curriculum (MS Excel Format)
View Current Curriculum
G. Discussion and possible recommendation on rule changes relating to dual shop advertising and signage requirements.
H. Discussion and possible recommendation on rule changes to require license and/or permit holders to purchase the barber law and rule book
I. Discussion and possible recommendation on rule changes relating to the sanitation of razors
J. Discussion of registration of barber students for the written exam at the completion of 1000 hours.
M. Discussion of rule or policy changes relating to cosmetologists shaving customers
Number of New Barbers Plummets Under TDLR
TDLR Fails to Report Drop in New Barbers in Strategic Plan
The new Dual Shop permit regulations do not protect the identity of barber shops or barbers. Currently anyone can get a dual barber shop beauty salon dual permit, and advertise as a barber shop without having a barber. Theoretically, they are supposed to stop advertising as a barber shop and remove barber pole and barber signs if they haven't had a barber for 90 days. However, there are no reporting requirements. Inspections are now very infrequent, every two, three or four years. If the inspector even asks the dual permit owner where their barber is, it would be very to easy to just say that they recently left and that they would have another one soon. It is very doubtful that the inspector would ever check back. I suspect that they could run this way and never get caught. If this isn't changed it will destroy the identity of the barber shop and probably the barber industry along with it.
The sharp drop in the number of new barbers being licensed since TDLR took over is one of the most critical issues facing the barber industry. The barber industry cannot survive if there aren't a sufficient number of new barbers entering the system.
Below is a chart that dramatically shows the problem. Each bar represents four months.
This issue was brought up at the Barber Advisory Board Meeting on July 30, 2007. Since then, TDLR has done nothing. They haven't written a letter to the schools, PSI, the contract testing company, or done anything else to identify the problem or find a solution, except some discussion at a couple of board meetings. They have been asked a number of times by members of the industry to do something, but have not. This is a critical failure on the part of TDLR, but it was never mentioned in the Strategic Plan that TDLR submitted to the Governor and Legislative Budget Board in June of this year.
TDLR bragged about reducing barber license fees from $90 to $70. They even had this posted on the top of the main TDLR webpage for a while. However, they have not put anything on the website about the sharp drop in the number of barbers being licensed since they took over.
The Strategic Plan is a very important document that is sent to the Governor, the Legislative Budget Board and others.
NOTE! TDLR failed to report the drop in new barbers in Strategic Plan. This is of critical importance to the barber industry and an important measure of what kind of job TDLR is doing. Why was it left out?
How to Have a Barber Shop WITHOUT a Barber
(Contains the full plan, links to individual sections, and focus group comments.)
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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
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Updated 02MAY09 1122 CDT