Bill
HB 760
Requires annual OSHA-compliant bloodborne pathogen training for tattoo permit applicants/renewals in NC, tied to permit eligibility.
Status / Timeline
- Introduced: 2025 (filed / first edition published Apr 2, 2025)
- Effective date if enacted: October 1, 2025
- Applicability: applies to tattooing permit applications received by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on or after the effective date
Purpose / Intent
- To strengthen public health protections by requiring tattooists to complete annual bloodborne pathogen (BBP) training as a condition of obtaining or renewing a tattooing permit in North Carolina.
- Seeks to reduce risk of transmission of bloodborne infections (e.g., hepatitis B/C, HIV) associated with tattooing practices.
Key provisions
- Adds an annual-training requirement to G.S. 130A-283:
- Applicants for initial or renewal tattooing permits must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Department that they have completed annual BBP training compliant with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) bloodborne pathogens standard (29 C.F.R. § 1910.1030).
- Permit application / verification:
- The Department, acting through local health departments, must verify completion of the required BBP training and perform inspections of premises, instruments, utensils, equipment, and procedures before issuing a permit.
- Tattooing permits remain valid for one year and must be renewed annually.
- Enforcement:
- The Department may deny initial or renewal permits if the applicant fails to demonstrate required training or meet permit standards.
- The Department may suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew permits for violations; appeals governed by the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 150B).
- Exemptions and limitations:
- Licensed physicians, and physician assistants or nurse practitioners working under a supervising physician, who perform tattooing within the normal scope of their practice are exempt from these permit provisions.
- A tattooing permit does not authorize tattoo removal procedures.
- Effective / applicability clause:
- Becomes effective October 1, 2025, and applies to permit applications received on or after that date.
Who is affected
- Primary: tattoo artists and tattooing businesses in North Carolina seeking new or renewed tattooing permits.
- Secondary: Department of Health and Human Services and local health departments (additional verification and inspection responsibilities), clients of tattoo services (potentially improved safety), and training providers (demand for compliant BBP training).
Potential impacts
- Public health: expected to improve infection-control practices and reduce BBP transmission risk in tattooing settings.
- Administrative: increases compliance obligations for permit applicants and verification/inspection workload for health agencies.
- Costs: tattooists may incur recurring costs for annual training; local health departments may need resources for verification and inspections.
- Legal/administrative remedies: applicants denied or penalized retain appeal rights under the Administrative Procedure Act.
Notes
- The bill ties required training to OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard (29 C.F.R. § 1910.1030), which covers exposure control plans, immunization, training content, engineering controls, PPE, and post‑exposure procedures — though HB 760 itself requires completion of training consistent with that standard rather than prescribing each operational detail.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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