ESTHETICIANS: Provides relative to esthetics. (8/1/26)

Education

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Stewart Cathey , Jr.
Last action: 2026-06-01
Official status: Became law without the Governor's signature - Act 599
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Estheticians Licensing Act

This act changes the requirements for esthetician licensing, including what services they can provide and qualifications needed to teach cosmetology.

What This Bill Does

Defines 'esthetics' as providing beauty treatments like facial massages, eyebrow grooming, eyelash enhancements, hair removal, and skin care using approved methods.
Specifies that an esthetician can blow dry hair if it's part of their other services.
Requires cosmetology teachers to have a valid cosmetology certificate, at least one year of active practice before teaching, and pass the board’s teacher certification exam.

Who It Names or Affects

Estheticians who provide beauty treatments in Louisiana.
Cosmetology schools that offer training for esthetician licenses.

Terms To Know

Esthetics: The practice of providing beauty and skin care services, such as facial massages, eyebrow grooming, eyelash enhancements, hair removal, and other treatments.
Cosmetology teacher: A person who teaches cosmetology or esthetician courses in a licensed school.

Limits and Unknowns

The act does not specify what happens if an esthetician fails to meet the new requirements.
It is unclear how existing estheticians will transition to meeting these new standards.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Summary of House Amendments to SB54

Filed

Plain English: The amendment removes the requirement for a person to have been actively practicing cosmetology for at least one year before they can become a registered teacher of cosmetology.

Removes the requirement that someone must have practiced cosmetology for at least twelve months before becoming a registered teacher.

The amendment does not provide details on how this change will affect the overall quality or standards of teaching in cosmetology programs.

House Floor Amendment #5723 Butler Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment modifies the bill to include specific requirements for cosmetology teachers and allows estheticians to perform blow drying hair services under certain conditions.

Adds new language to define qualifications for a registered teacher of cosmetology, including having a cosmetology certificate and at least one year of active practice before becoming an instructor.
Allows estheticians to provide blow drying hair services if it is combined with other practices listed in the bill.

The amendment text does not specify all details about how these changes will be implemented or enforced, which may leave some aspects unclear.

Bill History

2026-06-01 S
Effective date 8/1/2026.
2026-06-01 S
Becomes Act No. 599 without the Governor's signature.
2026-05-25 H
Signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-21 S
Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.
2026-05-21 S
Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-20 S
Amendments proposed by the House read and concurred in by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays.
2026-05-18 S
Received from the House with amendments.
2026-05-18 H
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.
2026-05-18 H
Called from the calendar.
2026-05-18 H
Read by title, returned to the calendar.
2026-05-18 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 05/18/2026.
2026-05-13 H
Read by title, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-05-12 H
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.
2026-05-11 H
Reported favorably (9-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-01 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Commerce.
2026-03-31 H
Received in the House from the Senate, read by title, lies over under the rules.
2026-03-31 S
Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-03-30 S
Read by title. Ordered engrossed and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-03-25 S
Reported favorably.
2026-03-09 S
Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
2026-02-18 S
Prefiled and under the rules provisionally referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

Official Summary Text

ESTHETICIANS: Provides relative to esthetics. (8/1/26)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

2026 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 54
BY SENATOR CATHEY AND REPRESENTATIVES BAYHAM, ECHOLS AND
WILEY
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 37:563(8) and 583(C)(1), relative to cosmetology; to provide for
3 the practice of esthetics; to provide for definitions; to provide relative to the
4 requirements of a cosmetology teacher; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 37:563(8) and 583(C)(1) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
7 as follows:
8 §563. Definitions
9 As used in this Chapter, the following words have the following meanings:
10 * * *
11 (8)(a) "Esthetics" means engaging in any one or a combination of the
12 following practices: massaging the face or neck of a person, dyeing or trimming
13 eyebrows, applying natural or artificial enhancements to eyelashes, hair removal by
14 cosmetic preparations, threading, waxing, or other similar means, stimulating,
15 cleansing, or beautifying the face, neck, arms, bust, upper body, legs, or feet of a
16 person by any method with the aid of the hands or of any mechanical or electrical
17 apparatus, including micro-dermabrasion, epidermabrasion, or particle exfoliation
18 using equipment and methodology approved by the board or by the use of a cosmetic
19 preparation; however, esthetics shall not include the diagnosis, treatment, or therapy
20 of any dermatological condition, or the process of removing hair known as
21 "electrolysis".
22 (b) An esthetician may engage in blow drying hair services if it is in
23 combination with practices pursuant to Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph.
24 * * *
25 §583. Qualifications for certificate as a registered teacher; continuing education
26 * * *
ACT No. 599
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
SB NO. 54 ENROLLED
1 C. In addition to the requirements set forth in Subsection B of this Section,
2 a person shall also meet the following requirements in order to obtain a certificate
3 of registration as a registered teacher of cosmetology, esthetics, or manicuring:
4 (1) To obtain a certificate as a registered teacher of cosmetology, a person
5 shall possess a cosmetology certificate, have been actively engaged in the practice
6 of cosmetology for at least twelve months prior to beginning the instructor's course,
7 and have successfully passed the examination prescribed by the board for
8 certification as a teacher of cosmetology.
9 * * *
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.