Lawmakers may pass health standards for body piercings this year

OLYMPIA — Whitney Nash, a bartender from Florida, is well-versed in the ways of the body-piercing industry after going through a piercing-apprenticeship program.

So Nash was surprised to learn that Washington, unlike Florida, has no body-piercing health regulations written into law. "Oh my God, are you serious?" Nash said. "That's insane."

The fact that infectious diseases — such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, hepatitis B and MRSA — can spread through improperly sterilized equipment has prompted lawmakers, with encouragement from lobbyists, to take a stand.

For the fifth legislation session, bills that would regulate the industry have been introduced. But this year, sponsors are confident some form of regulations finally will pass.

Troy Amundson, a professional body piercer, has been lobbying for regulation since he contacted Rep. Sherry Appleton, D-Poulsbo, five years ago and urged her to write a bill.

After taking emergency-medical-technician training, he began to worry about the lack of health regulations in the field. Today, he represents more than 120 body-piercing and tattooing shops in Washington.

In 2001, the Legislature passed legislation setting health standards for tattoo parlors, but there is no agency in charge of enforcement. Body piercing remains unregulated.

"The regulations will do a lot to help and protect artists and to help us gain recognition as a professional industry," Amundson said.

Rion Wickersham, owner of Deep Roots, a tattoo and body-piercing shop in the University District in Seattle, said he supports regulations. His shop currently follows industry standards, and he says most shops follow the guidelines pretty closely to protect their reputations and their clients.

"I'm not worried about complying with the rules," he said. "We want there to be regulations."

Nash said any good shops support regulations and licensing. Last week, she got a piercing, a post embedded into her chest with a diamond stud, at Deep Roots.

The shop, which looks more like an art gallery with bright lighting and hundreds of pieces of jewelry on display, was recommended by a friend for its cleanliness.

"I knew they were safe," she said, adding that the piercer did everything by the book.

Kitty Candelaria, executive director of the National Hepatitis C Institute based in Manchester, Kitsap County, said regulations are needed to reduce the risk of disease being spread through the use and improper disposal of unsanitary equipment.

"Anything that has human blood on it — like gloves, or wraps, or gauze — that isn't disposed of in a proper way has the potential to introduce the infection," she said.

Appleton's bill, HB 1085, would establish health and safety standards for body-piercing shops. Violations would be a misdemeanor.

But Sen. Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup, said Appleton's "bill will do nothing except give a false sense of security" because no agency would be responsible to enforce rules.

Kastama is writing his own bill that would require health and safety standards, a licensing program for piercing and tattoo artists and their shops, and inspections every two years by the state Department of Licensing.

Appleton believes passing her bill is important to put the structure of health regulations in place. "I think it's about time that we did it."

The two lawmakers and Amundson met several weeks ago to agree on the terms of Kastama's bill.

Appleton, though, isn't sure how far the Legislature is ready to go. "I don't know if we will get the full package this year," she said.

Gov. Chris Gregoire hasn't taken a position on either bill, said spokesman Pearse Edwards.

Chantal Anderson: 360-236-8266 or canderson@seattletimes.com