Assembly Bill A6913

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6913
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 18, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. ZACCARO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Economic Development
 
 AN ACT to amend the  general  business  law,  in  relation  to  domestic
   violence  and  sexual assault awareness education for licensed  cosme-
   tologists
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  408-b of the general business law, as amended by
 chapter 71 of the laws of 2020, is amended to read as follows:
   § 408-b. Domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education.  1.
 The  department shall [ensure that] REQUIRE ALL LICENSEES AND APPLICANTS
 FOR A LICENSE OR RENEWAL PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE  COMPLETE A COURSE  IN
 domestic  violence  and  sexual assault awareness education [courses are
 made available to all licensees and applicants for a license or  renewal
 pursuant  to  this  article  and  that  such courses are] WHICH SHALL BE
 offered through the department's website. The department,  in  consulta-
 tion with the office for the prevention of domestic violence and advoca-
 cy  groups  recognized  by  the  federal  department of health and human
 services or the federal department of justice, which have the ability to
 coordinate statewide and  with  local  communities  on  programming  and
 educational  materials  related  to  the  prevention and intervention of
 domestic violence or sexual assault in New York state, shall develop and
 provide access to domestic violence and sexual assault awareness  educa-
 tion courses appropriate for those licensed under this article AND SHALL
 DISTRIBUTE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO INFORM APPLICANTS UNDER THIS ARTICLE
 ABOUT  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE   AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS AND PREVENTION.
 SUCH MATERIALS, INCLUDING  PAMPHLETS,  POSTERS,  AND  ONLINE  RESOURCES,
 SHALL  BE  CULTURALLY COMPETENT, LINGUISTICALLY ACCESSIBLE, AND TAILORED
 TO MEET THE NEEDS OF DIVERSE POPULATIONS, INCLUDING VICTIMS OF  DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE AND THEIR FAMILIES.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10956-01-5
 A. 6913                             2
              

 
   2.  THE OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE DEPART-
 MENT SHALL COLLABORATE WITH RELEVANT  STAKEHOLDERS,  INCLUDING  DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE  ADVOCACY GROUPS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND SOCIAL SERVICES
 ORGANIZATIONS, TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY, RELEVANCE, AND  EFFECTIVENESS  OF
 THE  EDUCATIONAL  MATERIALS REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION. THE OFFICE FOR THE
 PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHALL  BE  RESPONSIBLE  FOR  MAKING  THE
 EDUCATIONAL  MATERIALS  AVAILABLE ON ITS WEBSITE AND THROUGH OTHER CHAN-
 NELS, INCLUDING COSMETOLOGY SCHOOLS, SALONS, AND SPAS.
   3. THE COURSE REQUIRED BY THIS  SECTION  SHALL  BE  COMPREHENSIVE  AND
 SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:
   (A)  THE  DEFINITIONS AND DYNAMICS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INCLUDING ITS
 VARIOUS FORMS, SUCH AS PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, FINANCIAL, AND SEXUAL ABUSE;
   (B) THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INCLUDING BEHAVIORAL,
 PHYSICAL, AND EMOTIONAL INDICATORS;
   (C) STRATEGIES FOR IDENTIFYING AND RESPONDING TO VICTIMS  OF  DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE,  INCLUDING HOW TO INITIATE CONVERSATIONS, PROVIDE SUPPORT, AND
 CONNECT VICTIMS WITH LOCAL RESOURCES;
   (D) INFORMATION ABOUT LOCAL  RESOURCES,  INCLUDING  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE
 HOTLINES, SHELTERS, AND SUPPORT GROUPS;
   (E)  GUIDANCE  ON  MAINTAINING  CONFIDENTIALITY  AND RESPECTING VICTIM
 AUTONOMY;
   (F) CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC BARRIERS THAT MAY IMPACT VICTIMS'  ABILITY
 TO SEEK HELP;
   (G)  STRATEGIES  FOR CREATING A SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT IN THE
 SALON OR SPA; AND
   (H) INFORMATION ABOUT  THE  LEGAL  REQUIREMENTS  AND  PROTECTIONS  FOR
 VICTIMS  OF  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE, INCLUDING RESTRAINING ORDERS AND VICTIM
 COMPENSATION, SHALL ALSO BE PART OF THE COURSE.
   4. THE OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTION OF  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  SHALL  ENSURE
 THAT  THE  COURSE REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION IS AVAILABLE TO AND COMPLETED
 BY  ALL  PERSONS  LICENSED  UNDER  THIS  ARTICLE.  THE  OFFICE  FOR  THE
 PREVENTION  OF  DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE ARE AUTHOR-
 IZED TO MONITOR COMPLIANCE WITH THIS REQUIREMENT  AND  TAKE  ENFORCEMENT
 ACTION AS NECESSARY.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.