A ‘dead bill’ and a close shave, local stylists push back against reduced licensing hours
REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — A controversial bill meant to eliminate barriers to education for cosmetology licensing is going to have to go back to the drawing board.
The bill would have decreased the mandated minimum education hours from 1,600 to 1,000 and apprenticeship hours from 3,200 to 2,000 required to receive a cosmetology license in Idaho.
A local cosmetologist and business owner tells Local News 8 why these hours of education are so important. Idaho leaders are learning it's not as simple as holding a pair of scissors and a few snip, snip, chop, chop motions.
"It's chemistry, biology, geometry, anatomy, physiology," said cosmetologist and business owner Tiffany Judd of Studio 134 in Rexburg. She explains beauty licensing is an ongoing list that includes math, science, business education, communication, and cutting practice; so 600 hours to learn these skills would affect more than just the people working in the industry.
"The cost of my services within the salon will have to go up, which the consumer will have to pay for, because I have to pay for somebody to be trained to be here. And then I also have to pay my time to educate them," said Judd.
Judd's concerns that House Bill 547 would reduce the required hours for a cosmetology license from 1600 to 1000 were shared by many other salon owners and educators who turned out to testify against the bill in the House Business Committee. Posts were also shared on social media about the time needed to learn about chemical safety, sanitation, and infection control.
"We're in the industry of taking care of people. And without the knowledge, I see industry professionals coming out of school [with] lower hours and making mistakes," said Judd.
While the bill is now "effectively dead," in its current form, according to KTVB's interview with Representative Brent Crane of Nampa, east Idaho customers are still reflecting on what it's like to be in the chair.
"I've had it happen where my hair has been cut way shorter than I wanted it to, and I wasn't okay," said a laughingly reflective Mattie Johnson, a customer at Studio 134. "I'd rather have someone with a little more experience who knows what they're doing handle my hair."
Judd wants to continue educating the public on what goes salon chair, and how cutting training hours, even for the cause of making it easier to start in the beauty industry, will impact ultimatley impact customer wallets. To learn more, visit here.
