State Sen. Karin Housley (R-St. Mary’s Point) urged her colleagues to support a bill that would exempt freelance artists from being required to obtain a full cosmetology license for basic hair and makeup services.
The Minnesota Board of Cosmetologist Examiners voted last December to require freelance makeup and hair stylists to obtain a full cosmetology salon manager license, a credential that can require up to 4,000 hours of training.
In response, several hair and makeup artists filed a lawsuit last month against the board, saying the new regulations violate their “right to pursue a chosen livelihood and operate a lawful business without arbitrary and unreasonable governmental interference.”
Housley introduced a bill last session to reverse the requirements and received bipartisan support. The bill, however, failed to advance out of committee and Housley plans to push the bill again next session.
“We are not talking about full-fledged cosmetologists who work in a salon. These are freelance artists we hire for weddings, proms, graduations, and other events that had been working without problem for years – until the state decided to weigh in. There is no reason freelance artists should be subject to the same 4,000-hour training as full-service cosmetologists,” Housley said in a press release.
“They aren’t looking to cut hair, work with chemicals, do nails – or even work in salons. My bill would remove the regulatory burden and allow them to continue to provide their services in our communities – in the same safe manner they did before,” she continued.
Conservatives in states like Ohio have called on lawmakers to cut down on the state’s occupational “over-licensing” problem.
“The onerous training required for Ohio’s cosmetologists is even more ridiculous when compared to the 150 hours of training required to be a state certified Emergency Medical Technician,” said Greg Lawson, research fellow with The Buckeye Institute, during a December hearing. He said that excessive training requirements hurt Ohio’s already struggling minority communities.
“You don’t need a full license to sell makeup at a department store counter or to do hair and makeup for fashion shows or film productions – so why require it here?” Housley added. “All the board has done is push well-intentioned people out of business.”
– – –
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
