ARLINGTON, Va. –Today, Pennsylvania became the 34th state to eliminate licensing for natural hair braiders with the signing of HB 1820 by Governor Shapiro. The bill passed unanimously in the House and with an overwhelming majority in the Senate with a 49-1 vote on its way through the legislature. Hair braiding is a common practice in many African American and African immigrant communities and has been celebrated as a beauty and art practice for centuries. Unlike cosmetologists, braiders do not cut hair or use any harsh chemicals or dyes in their work.
“This is another step forward in ensuring that everyone in this great nation has the opportunity to pursue their calling free from unnecessary regulation,” said Meagan Forbes, the Institute for Justice’s Director of Legislation and Senior Legislative Counsel. “We thank everyone who had a hand in helping pass this bill and making sure braiders have every opportunity to succeed.”
HB 1820 will help alleviate some of the barriers that prevent Pennsylvanians from working. According to the Institute for Justice’s report, License to Work, the average license for low- and moderate-income jobs in Pennsylvania takes 120 days of education and experience. And those required classes can be very expensive.
For instance, the cosmetology license, which some states have classified hair braiding under, is one of the commonwealth’s most popular licenses. In Pennsylvania, it takes at least 1,250 hours of classes to get a license in cosmetology. On average, a cosmetology program in the commonwealth costs $16,802, while the average student takes out $7,331 in federal student loans. Braiders in Pennsylvania had to complete 300 hours of training and pass an exam before they could legally work, but the training was often costly and hard to find.
The Institute for Justice advocates for the right to earn a living across the country and has been a leader in providing relief from burdensome regulations in the beauty industry for over three decades. When IJ established its National Braiding Initiative in 2014, only 11 states allowed braiders to work with needless licenses. No one should have to hire a lawyer or a lobbyist just to earn an honest living, and IJ will keep standing up for braiders until braiding freedom is a reality nationwide.
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To arrange interviews on this subject, journalists may contact Phillip Suderman, IJ’s Communications Project Manager at [email protected] (850) 376-4110. More information on this subject is available at: https://ij.org/issues/economic-liberty/braiding/