Tennessee Senate Bill SB2306

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 62, Chapter 3; Title 62, Chapter 38 and Title 62, Chapter 4, relative to professions.

Summary

SB2306 creates a new regulatory framework for people whose work is limited solely to makeup application services. The bill exempts those individuals from the cosmetology licensing requirements in Tennessee law, so long as they comply with a new section added to Title 62, Chapter 4. It also amends the cosmetology exemption statute to expressly include this occupation. Under the bill, a makeup application provider must complete eight hours of health and hygiene training approved by the commissioner of commerce and insurance, register with the department every two years, pay a $30 registration fee, and post a notice stating that they are not licensed by the state board of cosmetology and barber examiners. The bill also limits what these providers may call themselves and prohibits them from offering services beyond makeup application unless separately licensed or certified.

Impact

The bill would change Tennessee’s professional licensing laws by carving out a specific exemption for makeup-only service providers while still imposing a light-touch registration and training requirement. It affects Tennessee Code Annotated Title 62, Chapter 4, and related cosmetology provisions by clarifying that makeup application alone does not require a cosmetology license, but related services such as eyelash application or permanent/semi-permanent makeup remain regulated. The bill would also create new administrative duties for the Department of Commerce and Insurance to oversee registration and approve training.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears neutral to supportive of occupational access and consumer information. The bill seems designed to reduce licensing barriers for a narrow profession while preserving basic health, hygiene, and disclosure safeguards. No formal opposition or recorded controversy is available in the supplied context.

Contention

The main policy tension is between reducing licensing burdens for makeup artists and maintaining consumer protection and scope-of-practice limits. Supporters would likely favor the exemption as a way to recognize makeup application as distinct from cosmetology, while potential critics could argue that the training and registration requirements are too minimal or that the line between makeup application and other beauty services may be difficult to enforce. The bill specifically draws a boundary around services like artificial eyelash application and permanent makeup, which suggests those areas could be a point of contention for practitioners seeking broader flexibility.