MN Law to Have Permanent Impact on Tattoo Shops (w/video)

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MN Law to Have Permanent Impact on Tattoo Shops
December 10, 2010
By Tracee Tolentino & photojournalist Harry Baker
FOX 21 News

DULUTH - Starting January 1, 2011 the ink may run dry for several Northland body art establishments. For the first time ever, Minnesota tattoo shops have health regulations to follow. A new state law requires tattoo shops be licensed.
“The people that have not received their license, they'll be shut down,” says Joseph Trowbridge, owner of Anchors End Tattoo in Duluth.
The new law took effect July 1st, requiring all body art, piercing, and cosmetic tattoo shops be licensed. Businesses have until the New Year to do so or the Minnesota State Department of Health will crack down.
“We're in the process now of licensing those individuals and shops that we are aware of,” says Kyle Renell of the Minnesota State Dept. of Health.
So far, according to the Department of Health’s website, only 36 establishments in Minnesota are licensed.
“I think there's a lot of anxiety out there since this never had any licensure before,” said Renell.
Right now, only one of those 36 is a tattoo shop in the Northland- Anchors End Tattoo in Duluth. Permanent make up tattoos also fall under the new regulations, and the only Northland establishment with a license is the Center for Permanent Cosmetics in Hibbing.
“As long as you were doing things correctly, the state isn't trying to just withhold licenses. That isn't their intention,” says Trowbridge.
Trowbridge also says it's about time body art establishments are regulated, “if a person walks into a shop that isn't licensed, you should wonder why they're not. [Before] there were no responsibilities on those tattooists to a job in a healthy environment.”
The new regulations aim to keep the tattoo artist and the person receiving the tattoo, safe.
“The state still will come around and police these shops individually,” said Trowbridge.
Proper sanitation practices, certifications, records, and credentials are all things the State Department of Health examines when issuing a license, all practices to provide a healthy environment.
“The state is gonna see to it that they're not licensed, they're not legal, it will be against the law,” said Trowbridge.
A new state law providing permanent effect.