Cosmetology legislation advances in NC House after Senate approval
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- North Carolina Senate advanced cosmetology bill that now moves to the House.
- Most recent bill version would separate hair braiding from natural hair care.
- The Senate-advanced version proposed cutting 1,500 to 1,200 hours and 300 to 10 hours.
Good morning! Welcome to Under the Dome, your daily dose of politics news delivered straight to your inbox. I’m legislative and lobbying reporter Esther Frances.
Hair care service legislation
Lawmakers are pushing for legislation that would remove barriers to entry for people hoping to earn certifications or licensure in the cosmetic industry. Those credentials include esthetics, natural hair care, hair design and manicuring.
The North Carolina Senate last month advanced the bill, and it has now moved to the House for consideration.
Sen. Amy Galey, a Burlington Republican and one of the primary sponsors of the bill, has said that some pursuing this profession feel burdened by the current requirements of learning other cosmetology skills alongside natural hair care services, since some students only want to pursue hair care.
Since the bill was advanced, several changes have been made.
The most recent version of the bill would separate hair braiding from natural hair care services. Natural hair care services include hair twisting, locking and wrapping primarily textured hair, and the bill already would have reduced the number of hours to get certified in natural hair care.
Galey told committee members on Tuesday that the number of hours required for the full cosmetology license, which sits at 1,500 hours under current law, and natural hair care, which sits at 300 hours, are still up for debate as the bill moves through the House.
The version of the bill that advanced through the Senate proposed to reduce the 1,500-hour requirement to 1,200 hours, and reduce the 300-hour requirement to 10 hours. Several lawmakers opposed the bill and said the reductions were risks to public safety.
On Tuesday, cosmetology instructors and students shared support and opposition for the bill.
Lynda Elliott, the executive director of the North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, said the board is “generally supportive” of some of the measures in the bill. She said some provisions “really have not been thoroughly vetted yet,” and that “additional time for careful review, stakeholder input and implementation planning is reasonable.”
The bill advanced to the House Finance Committee.
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