Submitted photo Rep. Rosemary Brown, R-Monroe/Pike, speaks during a budget hearing earlier this year.

Tattoo artists could be regulated by the state Health Department under a bill introduced recently in the state House of Representatives.

Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states that have no laws regulating tattoo shopss. House Bill 1975 is sponsored by Rep. Rosemary Brown, R-Monroe/Pike, and has been referred to the Professional Licensure Committee. It would require those creating tattoos to have a tattoo artist license or be registered as a guest tattoo artist.

“For background, the owner of a tattoo establishment approached me a few years ago inquiring why Pennsylvania did not license or inspect this industry,” Brown wrote in her legislative memorandum. “I have to admit, I too was surprised to find out that there was no oversight since a tattoo procedure breaks and opens the skin with needles, creating a prime environment for blood-borne pathogen infections. If sanitary measures are not followed, the opportunity for a serious infection are possible. This owner had an establishment both in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and noted the strong differences for consumer protections as well as the high standards that helped create a respected and professional industry for his career. His frustrations with fixing bad tattoos, seeing infections and hearing of tattooing occurring in unsanitary garages has confirmed why my legislation is necessary.”

Brown’s bill would require tattoo artists to be 18 years or older, complete an education course on blood-borne pathogens and communicable diseases, pass a Health Department-approved test with at least a 70% course and pay a yearly registration fee. Tattooing would also be limited to tattoo establishments or temporary establishments licensed by the state.

Licenses for a tattoo establishment or a temporary establishment would be no more than $250 a year. The initial license fee and license renewal would be no more than $150 a year while the fee for a guest tattoo artist would not be more than $45. It would cost $250 to reactivate an inactive tattoo business license and $150 to reactivate an inactive tattoo artist license. The legislation does not change the prohibition on tattoos for those under the age of 18 without consent of a parent or guardian.

There have been tattoo regulation proposals introduced in the past, including some by Brown. House Bill 1975 takes a different approach, she said.

After working on this for several years and introducing several drafts, one which was voted on by the full House, I have found that the Florida model has one of the most straightforward statutes where they license and require sanitation without being burdensome or too costly to the tattoo artists and industry,” Brown wrote.