1. A. It shall be unlawful for any person to perform or offer to perform body piercing on a child under eighteen (18) years of age unless the parent or legal guardian of such child gives written consent for the procedure and the parent or legal guardian of the child is present during the procedure.

2. B. As used in this section and Section 3 of this act:

   1. 1. "Body piercing" means a procedure in which an opening is created in a human body solely for the purpose of inserting jewelry or other decoration, provided, however, the term does not include ear piercing;
   2. 2. "Operator" means any person who owns, controls, operates, conducts, or manages any permanent body piercing establishment, whether actually performing the work of body piercing or not. A mobile unit, including, but not limited to, a mobile home, recreational vehicle, or any other nonpermanent facility, shall not be used as a permanent body piercing establishment; and
   3. 3. "Artist" means the person who actually performs the body piercing procedure.
3. C. The provisions of this act 2 shall not apply to any act of a licensed practitioner of the healing arts performed in the course of such practitioner's practice.

Laws 1998, HB 2547, c. 123, § 1, eff. November 1, 1998.