California joins the fight against unnecessary cosmetology licenses
Virginia recently enacted House Bill 790, which “exempts persons working in a barbershop or cosmetology salon whose duties are confined to blow drying, cleansing, and styling hair from being required to obtain an occupational license.” The bill had strong bipartisan support, passing both the House and Senate unanimously, and was signed into law by the Governor. Now, California is looking to do the same with Senate Bill 999, sponsored by Senator Mike Morrell (R) and supported by the R Street Institute. The bill exempts the practices of shampooing, arranging, curling, dressing, and waving hair—the types of things people do in their own homes everyday—from the California Board of Cosmetology licensing requirements. In a state which is ranked in the top 10 for the most burdensome occupational licensing requirements (Arizona ranked 5th, while California ranked 7th), the possibility of reducing some of those barriers to entry have gained bipartisan support. The bill passed the California Senate 33-2.
