Under proposed bills in the state Legislature, body art and modification establishments would need licenses from the state to operate.
Edward Tafoya, a tattooist at Sachs Body Modification, said he thinks such laws can only help people serious about the business.
"It's going to keep all the hacks and scratchers out of the business - all the people that aren't willing to go the length it takes you to be cool and copacetic," he said.
Two versions of the Body Art Safe Practices Act are up for consideration, one in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate. Both would create a regulatory board and require annual licenses and inspections.
Knowledgeable inspectors who know what the body-art industry needs would be a good idea, Tafoya said.
Sen. Leonard Rawson, the sponsor of the Senate version of the proposal, stated in a news release that unregulated practices are a legitimate concern.
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"Hepatitis B and C viruses can be transmitted through body-art equipment, and the public would be better protected by health regulations," he said.
When body artists do what they're supposed to, they don't have a chance of catching or spreading a disease such as hepatitis, Tafoya said.
Sachs wipes its counters with antiviricidals and sterilizes equipment with an autoclave, a steam-heat unit, he said. The autoclave is tested once a month for spores. In addition, everything is also disposable and individually prepackaged, Tafoya said.
The House bill sponsored by Rep. Rhonda King would create a licensing board and require body artists to obtain an annual license.
The board would set the license requirements, as well as rules on safety, sterilization and sanitation. It would also inspect body-art establishments every year.
Rawson's version of the bill would create a licensing and regulation board. However, it would only require the establishment to be licensed.
Scott Lovald, a graduate student studying manufacturing engineering, said he thought licenses were a good idea, but didn't think the state should charge high prices for a license.
According to the bills, the license fee would not exceed $150.
The Senate measure would also prohibit tongue-splitting and require parental consent for minors to get tattooed or pierced.
Tafoya said he doesn't think people under 18 should ever get tattoos or piercings because of the responsibility involved. But allowing parental consent for minors to get a procedure done professionally is a good idea, he said.
"If they're going to get it done - and they probably will - it's better that we do it than have them get it done in a kitchen or bathroom somewhere," Tafoya said.
Despite his support for licensing, Tafoya said he doesn't want the government to regulate what procedures are available.
"I don't want them to be able to tell us you can't split our tongues or you can't get tattooed on the face or the hands or something like that," he said. "I think that should all be left up to the individual."
