At the 9/30/13 regular Cosmetology Board meeting it was a packed house. Due to new rules and regulations concerning duplicate licenses and individual wishing to obtain a duplicate license must make application and appear in person before the Board. During the in person meeting the Board members will ask you some questions and then vote whether or not they will grant you a duplicate license. For most of us we never knew the abuse of individuals requesting duplicate license…. Believe me when I say there was some major abuse going on in one sector of our profession. Stricter rules and regulations was much needed… Congrats to the Board!!!!
The meeting most dealt with the duplicate licenses request. There was approximately 50 request with over 30 individuals actually showing up. During this meeting the Board made it clear that they would only grant one duplicate request during your licensing period. The Board also broke from it own procedure and allowed an individual to make a duplicate request and receive approval in the same day. Board attorney Margarette Meeks scolded the Board telling them that they needed to prepare a series of questions that they would ask of each person requesting a duplicate license so it would not appear that they were discriminating toward any individual.
The Board also stated that they would be requesting a final 90 day extension with the Mississippi Secretary of State office for the final updated version of the Cosmetology rules and regulations. The Board has worked for most of 2013 making changes and updates to the rules and regulations that govern the Cosmetology Industry. The Board had 120 days to complete this process which ends 11/1/13, which will now be extended for a final 90 days..
What everyone needs to be made aware of is the fact that you will no longer be given any notice by the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology of these rule changes. All rule changes are filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State office and it is up to us as industry Professionals to make written request for a public hearing on proposed rule changes. If we fail to do this then we are just stuck. I have tried my best to keep up with all the many changes coming down the pipe line but it has been difficult at times. I would like to also acknowledge that the Board has allowed me to express my opinion through out the process which I felt has given a voice for the schools. I would like to further point out that the Board has had many meetings spent on updating rules and regulations, some with legal counsel present and some without, and what I noticed was that every meeting conducted without legal counsel was very productive and the meetings with legal counsel were very counter productive.
Legal counsel Margarette Meeks informed the Board that she had prior commitments on October 28, 2013 and would not be able to attend. NOW get this, Board President Teresa Whitman made it very CLEAR that there was no need to have a meeting if Board attorney Margarette Meeks could not be in attendance. Board member Dot Ennis and myself were both fit to be tied. There is a lot of unfinished work that needs to be address regardless of the attendance of the Board attorney… Well guess what….. The regular board meeting scheduled for October 28, 2013 has been cancelled…. I will let you form your own opinion on that situation….
3 Comment(s)
I feel the board should let the schools know of any changes that effect us as school owners, instructors , even if they do not want to mail out copies, at least let us know of change .
First, I agree with Mrs. Honeycutt. Second, I think it is ridiculous that certain Board Members are so unsure of themselves that they will NOT have a Board meeting without “Legal Council” present. If someone does not have enough self-confidence to feel that they can make a sound, logical decision without an attorney present to back them, they should not put themselves in the position to be a Board Member……
I agree with both ms honeycutt and 3d. Also two of the board members said that a notification letters should be sent out to the schools and salons, but the other three board members and attorney said that posting it on the website was the only notice needed. In my opinion this is not a fair decision, what about all the schools and salons who know nothing about the rule change?