After receiving more than 600 public comments, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services has filed an updated proposed administrative regulation outlining requirements for tattoo studios in the Commonwealth. State officials say the input from the public helped to draft the regulation and helped to inform the decision-making process and ensure the regulation was appropriate for modern industry standards.
After further analysis, the Cabinet chose not to move forward with the portion of the proposal that prohibited tattooing over scarred tissue.
Officials indicate the intent of the language prohibiting the tattooing of skin that is scarred should have been to prohibit the tattooing of freshly scarred skin. However, that part was left out of the filed version of the administrative regulation. The Cabinet agrees there is a lack of available evidence to support this prohibition.
The Cabinet proposed an amendment to the tattoo regulation in April, with the intent of addressing industry changes over the last 15 years.
Under the new rules, officials say a person registering as a tattoo artist will have to complete a blood-borne pathogen training. The Cabinet has also updated the disinfectant and equipment sterilization process.
The registration process for a tattoo studio is outlined in the regulation, with increased fees to offset the inspection cost.
Finally, the new regulation will require a notarized statement of parental consent for a minor seeking a tattoo without a parent or legal guardian present.
The Cabinet has filed the updated regulation with the Legislative Research Commission. Officials indicate the amendment will be on the agenda at the Administrative Regulation Review subcommittee meeting in August.
