Tattoo You

Photo: The Honolulu Advertiser

Rep. John Mizuno wants to make it clear that the bill to deregulate tattoo artists, HB2283 was not the original intention of the bill that he introduced, and even he had grave concerns over the way the Senate version inserted the deregulation language. In a statement yesterday, Mizuno said:

"I had concerns with the changes to the bill that were recommended by the Department of Health, specifically repealing the tattoo licensure procedures and requirements, and allowing someone from out of state to simply register as a tattoo artist in Hawaii without oversight."

The original intent was to allow tattoo artists to participate in and practice at state trade shows. It was not meant to deregulate the industry which, in Rep. Mizuno's mind, has serious health and safety issues. Back in March, when the bill morphed into a repeal of license requirements, Mizuno told media: "You don't have as much oversight with just registration, and there's an unintended consequence that there may be unqualified artists practicing. So, where's the oversight?"

The Senate recommitted the bill back to the Ways and Means committee, essentially killing it for this year. Rep. Mizuno wants the Department of Health to work with him and the tattoo artists on another bill for 2009.

Hearing on tattoo licensing Monday

The House of Representatives Committee on Health will hold an informational briefing on the licensing standards of the tattoo industry to address issues related to the health and safety of consumers. The hearing will be held Monday at 10 a.m. in conference room 329 at the State Capitol. This is an informational meeting, so no public testimony will be accepted.

Last Session, HB2283 HD1, SD1, a bill that initially sought to allow tattoo artists coming to the state for tradeshows to apply for a temporary certificate of registration, failed to pass out of the Legislature when the last draft replaced the licensure law with a registration program.

The tattoo industry opposed the measure in that form as safety is critical to practicing tattoo and body piercing artists. Careless practicing methods create a greater risk to exposure to blood borne pathogens, including but not limited to, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDs.

Tattoos and body piercings on the list for next session

Representatives of the tattoo industry and body piercing industry visited with Rep. John Mizuno today. From left to right: Peggy Sucher, Tricia Allen, Rep. Mizuno, Sean McCready and Conor Haley.

Safety is the key to the future for those who are involved in Hawaii's tattoo industry. This past session, a bill which started off as a means to allow tattoo artists to come into the state to participate in trade shows, exempting them from state licensure requirements for 2 weeks, took a different turn when it crossed over to the Senate. The Senate draft of HB2283, introduced by Rep. John Mizuno, contained a section that eliminated the licensure procedures and requirements entirely, a move that was not supported by Rep. Mizuno or the tattoo industry. The bill was recommitted.

Today, a group of concerned tattoo and body piercing artists visited Rep. Mizuno to start planning for new legislation next session. They emphasize that safety is critically important, and that it's important that the Department of Health maintain proper licensure requirements. Also, did you know that body piercing is not regulated in the state at all?

Keeping needles clean

It's not all the time that you see representatives of an industry pushing for more regulation and higher licensing fees, but that was exactly the case today during an informational briefing on the standards of tattoo licensing at the State Capitol.

The hearing, organized by Rep. John Mizuno, brought together industry members, the Department of Health, and lawmakers to discuss changes to the licensing process in order to provide a safe and healthy environment for consumers. Unsafe tattoo and body piercing practices - in commercial venues, in the homes of amateurs, and cultural practices - can lead to the exchange and transfer of blood borne viruses, including but not limited to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.

Four tattoo and body piercing artists, who have been spearheading the review of the industry, repeatedly mentioned the need for higher penalties against people who practice without a license or disobey rules and regulations, such as tattooing a minor without parental consent. They also suggested imposing higher licensing fees, which can help pay for more safety inspectors to enforce safety and health rules.

One of their major concerns was the fact that the tattooing licensing exam is almost 30 years old. The last time it was updated or reviewed was in 1981. Many participants of the briefing were concerned that the exam does not provide questions on Hepatitis and other more recent and prevalent communicable diseases.

Sean McGready, the owner of Tattoolicious in Waikiki, was concerned about the State's lack of laws and regulation for body piercing. He provided DOH officials with a rough draft of possible legislation that would make a separate set of rules and regulation for the body piercing industry.

The body piercing industry is growing fiercely, with more young people opting to use their body as art and put themselves under the needle - or in some cases, the knife. This new phenomenon is known as "body modification." McGready explained that the industry has evolved from the typical cosmetic piercing to full blown surgical procedures. Many body piercing shops are performing body art like "skin peeling," surgically removing sections of the skin to create keloids, or "braiding," cutting strips of skin which are then intertwined and placed back on the body to heal in that form, or "beading," the placement of an object underneath the skin and above the tissue of a person.

All parties involved in the hearing agreed that further discussion must continue in order to develop clear, feasible and comprehensive changes to the standards of the tattooing and body piercing industry.

Photo top left: Skin peeling or "scarification" is becoming a very popular form of body art that is not regulated in Hawaii.

Photo bottom right: Peggy Schuler, a representative of the tattoo industry, shows DOH officials a disposable cultural, Polynesian tattooing instrument, which can help prevent the spread of blood borne diseases.

Bills of interest for Wednesday, January 30th

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2008

Committee on Health, Room 329, 8:00 a.m.

HB2413 RELATING TO INCOME TAXATION. Allows an income tax credit to physicians practicing in medically underserved areas for a portion of the amount of medical malpractice premiums. (Green)

HB2529 RELATING TO FOOD SAFETY. Establishes state policies on dealing with tainted foods that are processed for consumption by humans and pet animals. (Mizuno)

HB2283 RELATING TO TATTOO ARTISTS. Allows department of health to issue temporary 14-calendar-day certificates of registration to tattoo artists for educational, trade show, or product demonstration purposes only. (Mizuno)

Committee on Agriculture/Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, Room 325, 8:30 a.m.

HB2292 RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. Enables the agribusiness development corporation to contract with banks to provide lease management services. Allows corporation to lease agricultural lands for up to 55 years. Authorizes the corporation to purchase agricultural lands owned by the Galbraith Estate. (M. Oshiro)

HB2451 RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. Directs the college of tropical agriculture and human resources of the University of Hawaii in consultation with native Hawaiian organizations and taro farmers, to establish a taro farming education and training program. (Tsuji)

HB2453 RELATING TO TARO. Appropriates funds for a taro farming grant program to assist taro farmers in need to help preserve the cultural legacy of taro farming for future generations. (Tsuji)

Committee on Transportation/Committee on Economic Development & Business Concerns, Room 309, 8:30 a.m.

HB2406 RELATING TO SCHOOL BUSES. Requires large school buses to have an operable seat belt assembly at all designated seating positions and seat backs that are a minimum height by 1/1/11, in order to pass inspection. (Lee)

Committee on Transportation, Room 309, 9:00 a.m.

HB3377 RELATING TO HIGHWAY SAFETY. Requires installation of ignition interlock device on a vehicle of a person arrested for driving under the influence that prevents the person from starting or operating a motor vehicle with more than a minimal alcohol concentration while their case in pending and while their license in revoked pursuant to chapter 291E HRS. (Har)

Committee on Health/Committee on Human Services & Housing, Room 329, 10:45 a.m.

HB2447 RELATING TO PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION. Improves access to psychotropic medication for all participants in Medicaid medical plans. (Mizuno)

Committee on Transportation, Room 309, 11:00 a.m.

INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING – Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor project – update on the progress of the Honolulu fixed guideway transit system.

Committee on Education, Room 309, 2:00 p.m.

HB2494 RELATING TO SCHOOL SPORTS CONCUSSIONS. Requires department of education to implement a concussion evaluation tool for each high school student athlete participating in the sport of football statewide. (Lee)

Committee on Health/Committee on Human Services & Housing, Room – Capitol Auditorium, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING. Review of the policies and procedures of the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and Law Enforcement agencies as they relate to adult mental health services, substance abuse, domestic violence, child protective services, and protective orders.

New Law Strengthens Sanitation Inspection Program

Governor Lingle today signed into law HB2688 which strengthens the state’s sanitation inspection program, including the hiring of more inspectors. The measure, now Act 176, changes the name of the “Environmental Health Education Fund” to the “Sanitation and Environmental Health Special Fund”, and allows the money in the fund to be used for sanitation programs and activities, including monitoring Hawaii’s restaurants and food establishments.

“Proper sanitation in public areas is critical to the health and safety of our population,” said Rep. Ryan Yamane, Chair of the House Committee on Health. “I’m pleased that the Governor signed this bill into law since it will allow the Department of Health to hire needed sanitation and vector control inspectors and to provide greater support to Hawaii businesses which have an impact on public health.”

The sanitation branch is charged with implementing programs related to:
· Food protection
· The regulation of barber shops, beauty parlors, massage parlors, tattoo shops,
mortuaries, public swimming pools, and public laundries;
· The inspection of tenement houses, lodging houses, and boarding houses;
· The licensing of tattoo artists and embalmers; and
· Enforcing the sanitation requirements for hospitals and medical facilities.

“Even before the infamous video of the rats in certain food vendor areas, I’ve been concerned that the number of sanitation inspectors is woefully low for the number of food establishments in Hawaii,” said Rep. Marcus Oshiro, the introducer of the bill. “It’s irresponsible to create that kind of health risk for the general public. This new law sets up a special fund that allows the sanitation branch, which brings in much of the fees through their activities, to use the money for sanitation purposes and not just for environmental health. It’s a good bill that will greatly benefit the public.”

The video from Disappeared News:

Rep. Tom Brower got skillz

Rep. Tom Brower gave a "rap invocation" before the start of yesterday's session to sum up and remind everyone of the events of the 2009 Legislative Session. Embedded within his rhythmic rhyme and reason were hilarious - and sometimes odd - interjections of cute commercial phrases, lyrics to popular songs, band names and other notable situations from this past year. What can I say? The lawmaker got skillz in the rap department yo.

Follow the link to Rep. Brower's YouTube page to view the clip of his rap invocation.

Please bow your heads…

Shark Tours
Penny Wars
Peace Corp.
Target Store,
Eye Sore,
Media Whore

Dead bodies on display
Homeless campers on their way

Statehood for 50 years
Hawaiian Airlines campaign smears

Committee rooms, cold as blizzard
Rep. Takai in the desert

Green Harvest
Tattoo Artist

Aspartame- state insect
Electronic waste
Gut and replace

UH Cheerleaders
Life-Saving Defibrillators
Don’t be a hater
Praise our savior
Cayetano's memoir

Obama's apartment
Don't get me started

Restoration rotunda
Wahiawa's Bobby Bunda

Public unions
Religious communion
Civil union-
Laying on the Senate Floor,
House Bill 4-44

Shoreline setbacks
A Councilmember said, "Wetbacks"

Stimulus
Cannabis
Gimme back that fillet of fish
Tax Relief
Amicus brief

Vigil by candlelight
Silent march thru the night
Domestic violence
Common Sense

Mele Carroll, Ceded lands
Hanabusa's pit bull ban
Taliban - Cell Phone Ban
Filipino Manahan

Speaker's Opening Day speech
Cigarettes on Waikiki beach

Tax day tea party

Healthy start
Capitol Art
Noisy Hearing Cart

The Pork Report
Word Salad
Pro Bowl
Honey bee
Fashion statement
Magic mint
Coffee, tea or Chris Lee?

Ruling on a potential conflict
Politics is art, not science
Hawaii's Smokers' Alliance

Foreclosure
Indecent Exposure

Food Bank Fundraisers
Pay raise, legislators

Earth Day - HSTA
DOE - Hepatitis B

Water Boarding
Animal Hoarding

Chinatown shooters
Yo Scooters

Pay your taxes
Raise your glasses…

Cigar- size matters

Karen's Law
Joe the builder
Terry Kaide
God Almighty

Tax increase - consequence
Recreational renaissance

Federal stimulus
Ignorance-- is bliss
Gimme what's mine
Imaginary crime

Social Aggression
Economic recession

State Departments
Balanced budget?
Far from it

Public funding
Second coming

Miracle on the Hudson

Pop culture
Peace sculpture

Medal of Honor
Fallen soldier

Casino gambling
Won't be happening

Abandoned Vehicles
Meals on Wheels

Tobacco Fund raid
Medicaid

“Apple bottom jeans”
Pregnant teens
Safe sex
Try abstinence

Moratorium on kalo
Greens from 'Nalo

Shaka, brah
Akaka's law

Ocean pirates
Computer geeks
Facebook
Twitter-tweets

News Clips
Green slips

House Blog
Coqui Frogs
Menopause
Hilo Vog
Drug sniffing dog

Octo Mom
Bible Psalm

Single mothers
Jonas Brothers

Rachel Maddow
Peace Day shadow

Furloughing
Economy slowing

Depleted ozone
Foreign trade zone

Statistician
Cancer remission

Genetic counselors
Marilyn hollers
"Five dollars!"

Human rights
Turn off the lights

Rock the Vote
Big Square Building
Legislators, Are Ya Listening?

Another rapping invocation To start tonight's debate
As the 51 of us do work for the Aloha State

Bills of interest for MONDAY, FEB. 11TH

Committee on Transportation, Room 309, 9:00 a.m.

HB2951 RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. Requires Department of Transportation to implement traffic congestion reduction plans, a statewide traffic flow improvement plan, a statewide infrastructure maintenance and improvement program, and a traffic safety enhancement plan. (Souki)

HB1972 RELATING TO TRAFFIC. Require DOT to establish and operate a county-wide highway traffic advisory radio system to advise motorists of updated current traffic conditions in any county having a population of greater than 300,000. (Takai)

HB3228 RELATING TO ABANDONED VEHICLES. Allow counties to remove abandoned motor vehicles from private roads. (Nishimoto BR)

HB2860 HD1 RELATING TO TAXATION. Exempts from general excise and use taxes the fuel sold from a foreign trade zone for intrastate air transportation by common carriers. (Souki)

Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, Room 312, 9:30 a.m.

HB2887 RELATING TO TATTOOING. Exempts experts in the practice of Kakau, traditional Hawaiian tattooing, from current tattoo licensure laws and directs the Department of Health to work with Kahuna ka Kakau to develop best practices for traditional Hawaiian tattooing. (Awana)

HB2525 RELATING TO HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. Requires the Hawaii Community Development Authority to incorporate smart growth principles in community plan rules. (Har) (House Majority)

Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, Room 325, 2:05 p.m.

HB2001 HD1 RELATING TO TELEPHARMACY. Permits the operation of remote dispensing pharmacies. (Morita)

HB3367 HD1 RELATING TO WIRELESS ENHANCED 911. Reduces the monthly surcharge on wireless telephone accounts for deployment of system to locate wireless 911 callers. (Caldwell)

HB2810 RELATING TO WATER RATES. Establishes a process for just and reasonable water rates for farming operations with PUC oversight, but excludes the water supplier from the definition of a "public utility". (Tsuji)

HB2965 HD1 RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WATER SECURITY. Establishes measures for preserving the security of the State's agricultural water supply in the event of an emergency. (Takamine)