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Committee approves scarification safety rules, adds age restriction
Summary
HB 531 would give state health authorities rulemaking authority over scarification and related body-art practices, require sanitation and single-use tool standards, and set an age minimum; the committee adopted an amendment and passed the bill unanimously.
Representative Ashlee Matthews introduced HB 531 to clarify the Department of Health and Human Services’ rulemaking authority over body-art practices including tattooing, microblading and scarification. Matthews said last year’s language had not anticipated some scarification practices and the bill aims to put safety guardrails in place—required enclosed rooms for procedures, single-use tools and sanitation guidelines, and age verification to keep minors from undergoing these procedures.
Representative Acton asked whether the bill prohibits the practice for people under 18; the sponsor and committee confirmed the bill includes an age restriction at 18. Local public-health officials supported the approach as precautionary: Braden Bradford, health officer for the Southeast Utah Health Department and representative of the Association of Local Health Departments, said he was not aware of documented serious infections in Utah tied to scarification but that the pictures and practices raised concern and that the bill ‘‘is a step in the right direction to create some boundaries around this process.’’
Representative Daley Provo moved to adopt Amendment 1 (which adds the age restriction), the committee adopted the amendment by voice vote, and then passed HB 531 as amended with a favorable recommendation to the full House by unanimous vote.
