What's happening
The bill prohibits automatic disqualification from barber licenses due to criminal convictions, including non-violent felonies, in New York.
Why it matters
Expands access to barbering careers for individuals with criminal records. by removing automatic barriers, which can help reduce recidivism and support successful reentry into society.
Requires individualized review of criminal histories. rather than blanket bans, encouraging fairer, case-by-case consideration and potentially reducing discrimination against people with prior convictions.
Aligns barber licensing with New York’s broader reentry and anti-discrimination laws (Article 23-A of the Correction Law). , reinforcing the principle that people should not be indefinitely punished or excluded from employment opportunities due to past mistakes.
May help address workforce shortages and support local economies. by allowing a larger pool of qualified individuals to obtain barber and barber shop owner licenses.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Barber License Rules Loosened
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to consumer protection
- Referred to consumer protection
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1463
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to the eligibility criteria for a license to barber
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 434 of the general business law, as amended by chapter 469 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:
(b) Satisfactory evidence of good moral character, except that in determining an applicant's good moral character, the secretary of state shall not automatically disqualify an applicant on the basis of a criminal conviction, including, but not limited to non-violent felonies. The secretary shall review such criminal history information in accordance with article twenty-three-A of the correction law;
§ 2. Subdivision 3 of section 438 of the general business law, as amended by chapter 469 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:
3. An applicant for a barber shop owner's license must establish that he or she is the real owner and possesses title to or is entitled to the possession of the shop. He or she must furnish satisfactory evidence of proper location of the shop, proper layout and adequate equipment for the shop, sanitary conditions in the shop and its surroundings. Such applicant must also furnish satisfactory evidence of good moral character, except that in determining an applicant's good moral character, the secretary of state shall not automatically disqualify an applicant on the basis of a criminal conviction, including, but not limited to nonviolent felonies. The secretary shall review such criminal history information in accordance with article twenty-three-A of the correction law.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05371-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to the eligibility criteria for a license to barber
Purpose
This legislation will clarify that an individual applying for a barber license shall not be automatically disqualified on the basis that he or she has been convicted of a crime, including but not limited to nonvio- lent felonies.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends subdivision 1 of section 434 of the general business law.
Section 2 of the bill amends subdivision 3 of section 438 of the busi- ness law.
Existing law
Existing law provides that applicants should not be automatically disqualified for having been convicted of a crime, but does not specify that includes the category of nonviolent felonies.
Justification
The creation of job opportunities is paramount to the survival of New York. To apply for a barber license one must establish that he or she is in fact the real business owner and possesses the title to the shop. The applicant must demonstrate good moral character. This will allow the opportunity to exist for new businesses to start and grow throughout the state.
Legislative history
2009-10: A6874A Referred to Economic Development
2009-10: S1205A (Sen.Thompson) Passed Senate
2016 Referred to Consumer Protection
Fiscal implications
None
Local fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.