44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

RELATING TO HEALTH; PROVIDING THAT ONLY CERTAIN LICENSED MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS CAN PERFORM TATTOOING, SCARIFICATION OR BODY PIERCING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. TATTOOING--BODY PIERCING.--

A. Tattoos, scarification and body piercing shall be performed only by licensed medical practitioners.

B. For the purposes of this section:

(1) "body piercing" means to cut, stab or penetrate the skin to create a permanent hole or opening;

(2) "licensed medical practitioner" means a licensed physician, physician assistant, doctor of oriental medicine or nurse practitioner;

(3) "scarification" means cutting into the skin with a sharp instrument to produce a permanent mark or design on the skin; and

(4) "tattooing" means making a permanent mark or design on the skin by a process of pricking and ingraining an indelible pigment or by raising scars."