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Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 26-0355.01 Christopher McMichael x4775 HOUSE BILL 26-1181
House Committees Senate Committees
Business Affairs & Labor
Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING THE CONTINUATION OF THE "BARBER AND101
COSMETOLOGIST ACT", AND , IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ,102
IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT103
OF REGULATORY AGENCIES IN THE DEPARTMENT'S 2025 SUNSET104
REPORT.105
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov/.)
Sunset Process - House Business Affairs and Labor
Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the department
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
March 23, 2026
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 20, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Ricks and Richardson, Carter, Marshall
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Marchman,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
of regulatory agencies in its 2025 sunset review and report by:
! Continuing the "Barber and Cosmetologist Act" (act) for 11
years until 2037;
! Repealing the advisory committee that is part of the act;
! Updating definitions and terminology within the act;
! Specifying certain services and providers that are exempt
from the act; and
! Replacing gendered language with gender-neutral
language.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 12-105-1262
as follows:3
12-105-126. Repeal of article - review of functions.4
This article 105 is repealed, effective September 1, 20265
SEPTEMBER 1, 2033. Before the repeal, the functions of the director and6
the advisory committee created in section 12-105-106 are scheduled for7
review in accordance with section 24-34-104.8
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-34-104, repeal9
(27)(a)(I); and add (34)(a)(XIV) as follows:10
24-34-104. General assembly review of regulatory agencies11
and functions for repeal, continuation, or reestablishment - legislative12
declaration - repeal.13
(27) (a) The following agencies, functions, or both, are scheduled14
for repeal on September 1, 2026:15
(I) The regulation of barbers, hairstylists, cosmetologists,16
estheticians, nail technicians, and registered places of business under17
section 12-105-112 by the director of the division of professions and18
occupations in accordance with article 105 of title 12;19
(34) (a) The following agencies, functions, or both, are scheduled20
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for repeal on September 1, 2033:1
(XIV) T HE REGULATION OF BARBERS, HAIRSTYLISTS,2
COSMETOLOGISTS, ESTHETICIANS, NAIL TECHNICIANS, AND REGISTERED3
PLACES OF BUSINESS UNDER SECTION 12-105-112 BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE4
DIVISION OF PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH5
ARTICLE 105 OF TITLE 12. 6
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-105-106, repeal7
(2) as follows:8
12-105-106. Powers and duties of the director.9
(2) The director shall appoint a six-member advisory committee10
to assist in the performance of the director's duties. The advisory11
committee consists of at least three licensees who have expertise in the12
area under review; one owner or operator of a school that provides13
training for licensees in the industry and is licensed by the private14
occupational school division; a representative from a Colorado licensed15
school that provides training for licensees in the industry; and a member16
of the public. Members of the advisory committee shall not be17
compensated for their services but shall be reimbursed for actual and18
necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under this19
article 105. The advisory committee shall meet at least once per year and20
prior to the adoption of rules, and at the request of the director.21
SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-105-107, amend22
(3) as follows:23
12-105-107. Examinations.24
(3) The examinations must be consistent with the practical and25
theoretical requirements of the prac tices of barberi ng, hair styling, or26
cosmetology or providing nail technician or esthetician services as27
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provided by this article 105, and the director shall review, revise, and1
update the examinations periodically on a reasonable basis. in2
consultation with the advisory committee created pursuant to section3
12-105-106. Examinations must be graded promptly, and the results of4
the examinations must be made available to the applicants promptly. The5
examination EXAMINATIONS must emphasize health and safety issues.6
SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-105-104, amend7
(2), (7), (8) introductory portion, (8)(d), and (9)(c); and add (8)(e) as8
follows:9
12-105-104. Definitions.10
As used in this article 105, unless the context otherwise requires:11
(2) "Barbering" means any one or combination of the following12
practices when done upon the upper part of the human body for cosmetic13
purposes and not for the treatment of disease or physical or mental14
ailments and when done for payment either directly or indirectly or when15
done without payment for the public generally:16
(a) Shaving or trimming the beard;17
(b) Cutting the hair;18
(c) Giving facial or scalp massage or PROVIDING SCALP treatment19
with oils, creams, or lotions or other chemical preparations, either by20
hand or with mechanical appliances;21
(d) Dyeing the Hair LIGHTENING AND COLORING or applying hair22
tonic; OR23
(e) Applying cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, powders, oils,24
clays, or lotions to the scalp, face, neck, or shoulders.25
(7) (a) "Cosmetology" means any one AN act or practice, or any26
A combination of acts or practices, not for the treatment of disease, A27
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physical illness, or a behavioral, mental health, or substance use disorder,1
when done for payment either directly or indirectly or when done without2
payment for the public generally, usually performed by and included in3
or known as the profession of beauty culturists, beauty operators,4
beauticians, estheticians, cosmetologists, or hairdressers or of any other5
person, INCLUDING A partnership, corporation, or other legal entity6
holding itself out as practicing cosmetology by whatever designation and7
within the meaning of this article 105. In particular,8
(b) "Cosmetology" includes, but is not limited to, any one or a9
combination of the following acts or practices:10
(I) Arranging, dressing, curling, waving, cleansing, cutting,11
singeing, bleaching LIGHTENING, coloring, TRIMMING, or similar work12
upon the hair OR FACIAL HAIR of a person by any means; and, with hands13
or a mechanical or electrical apparatus or appliance or by the use of14
cosmetic or chemical preparations;15
(II) TRIMMING OF THE BEARD OR MUSTACHE;16
(III) Manicuring or pedicuring the nails of a person WITH HANDS,17
A MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS OR APPLIANCE, OR BY USING18
COSMETIC OR CHEMICAL PREPARATIONS;19
(IV) Giving facials, applying makeup, giving skin care, or20
applying eyelashes involving physical contact with a person;21
(V) Beautifying the face, neck, arms, bust, or torso of the human22
body by use of cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions, or23
creams;24
(VI) Massaging, cleaning, or stimulating the face, neck, arms,25
bust, or torso of the human body with the use of antiseptics, tonics,26
lotions, or creams;27
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(VII) Removing superfluous hair from the body, FACE, OR NECK1
of a person by the use of depilatories or waxing or by the use of tweezers;2
and the trimming of the beard OR3
(VIII) PROVIDING BODY WRAPS TO A PERSON BY APPLYING OILS,4
CREAMS, MASKS , SCRUBS , ANTISEPTICS , CLAYS , LOTIONS , OR OTHER5
PREPARATIONS.6
(8) "Esthetician" means any A person who engages in any one or7
more of the following practices not for the treatment of disease or8
physical ailments:9
(d) Removing superfluous hair from the body, FACE, OR NECK of10
any A person by the use of depilatories or waxing or by the use of11
tweezers; OR12
(e) P ROVIDING BODY WRAPS TO A PERSON BY APPLYING OILS ,13
CREAMS, MASKS , SCRUBS , ANTISEPTICS , CLAYS , LOTIONS , OR OTHER14
PREPARATIONS.15
(9) "Hairstyling" means providing one or more of the following16
hair care services, not for the treatment of disease or physical or mental17
ailments, upon the upper part of the human body for cosmetic purposes18
for payment either directly or indirectly, or when done without payment19
for the public generally:20
(c) Cutting, arranging, applying hair extensions to, or styling the21
hair by any means using the hands or with manual, mechanical, or22
electrical implements or appliances;23
SECTION 6. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-105-118, amend24
(1)(a); and add (3) as follows:25
12-105-118. Exemptions.26
(1) Nothing in this article 105 prohibits services by:27
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(a) A person who is acting within the scope of practice for which1
he or she is THEY ARE licensed, registered, or certified;2
(3) T HIS ARTICLE 105 DOES NOT APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING3
INDIVIDUALS OR SERVICES:4
(a) MORTUARY SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS, AS DEFINED IN SECTION5
12-135-103 (22.3), WHO PERFORM SERVICES ON DECEASED PERSONS;6
(b) TATTOO ARTISTS WHO PERFORM COSMETIC TATTOOING ON THE7
FACE, INCLUDING THE PRACTICE KNOWN AS "MICROBLADING" EYEBROWS;8
(c) E LECTROLOGISTS OR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO PERFORMS9
ELECTROLYSIS FOR THE REMOVAL OF HAIR;10
(d) A N INDIVIDUAL WHO IS EMPLOYED TO PROVIDE HAIR AND11
MAKEUP SERVICES FOR THEATRICAL , TELEVISION , OR MOTION PICTURE12
PRODUCTIONS;13
(e) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO PREPARES HAIR COLOR FOR A CLIENT TO14
USE AT HOME;15
(f) A N INDIVIDUAL WHO PROVIDES FREE HAIRCUTS OR FREE16
WASHING AND SETTING OF HAIR FOR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION;17
(g) A PERSON THAT PROVIDES BARBERING AND COSMETOLOGY18
SERVICES WITHIN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES;19
(h) A PERSON THAT PROVIDES MAKEUP APPLICATION SERVICES; OR20
21
(i) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO POLISHES NAILS.22
SECTION 7. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-105-125, amend23
(1) introductory portion and (1)(b) as follows:24
12-105-125. Grounds for discipline.25
(1) The director may take disciplinary or other action as26
authorized in section 12-20-404 upon proof that the A licensee:27
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(b) Made any misstatement on his or her THEIR application for1
licensure to practice as a barber, hairstylist, cosmetologist, esthetician, or2
nail technician or attempted to obtain a license to practice by fraud,3
deception, or misrepresentation;4
SECTION 8. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act5
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the6
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August7
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a8
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the9
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act10
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect11
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in12
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the13
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.14
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