Salas bill hits the governor's desk

“This bill creates an additional link in the support system for victims of abuse,” said Salas. “Far too often, cases of abuse go unreported. These professionals serve a unique role in connecting victims with the help and assistance they need to move out of an abusive relationship.”

According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the United States have experienced rape or physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. That means on average, 24 people per minute are victims of these crimes—totaling 12 million people over the course of one year. Intimate partner violence accounts for 15 percent of all violent crime.

AB 326 will require the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, as part of the licensing process, to include a course that covers elder abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual assault awareness to provide licensees with information on how to connect victims to services. Also, it authorizes the board to promote physical and sexual abuse awareness.

The bill has received near-unanimous support and now moves to the Governor’s desk for consideration.