Cosmetologists Kill the Bill – Cosmetology and Barbering Remain Licensed Professions

In an earlier post we wrote about a proposed bill to eliminate licensing of Cosmetology and Barbering in Indiana. Since that post last Friday many of you have spoken up and voiced your opinions. A lot has happened in the last few days, ending with the bill being pulled off the table.

An outpouring of protest by stylists, beauty school students and others against the proposed bill to eliminate the requirement for salon professionals to be licensed in Indiana resulted in Rep. Dave Wolkins killing the bill and canceling the committee vote on Tuesday, according to reports from the Evansville Courier and Press.

Protesters of the bill showed up last Friday, and again on Monday and Tuesday. Those who felt the industry should remain licensed were apparently very persuasive because Wolkins chose not even to call for a vote on the proposed bill.

Suz Haire, a hair designer in the Indianapolis area was one of the protesters who helped bring attention to the issue and gather hundreds opposed to the bill. She even was able to get Tabitha Coffey, the host of “Tabitha Takes Over” a hair and salon focused reality show on Bravo, to take up the cause.

The bill would have made Indiana the only state in the nation not to require licensing of hairdressers and barbers.

Some consider it a win for cosmetologists everywhere.  They see it as vindication of the skills and training required of licensed cosmetologists.  What do you think?

Jessica Selby of Muncie was among the hairstylists at the Indiana Statehouse protesting a bill that would eliminate licensing for barbers and cosmetologists.