ARLINGTON, Va. –Today, Wyoming became the 36th state to eliminate licensing for natural hair braiders with the signing of SF0113 by Governor Gordon. The bill passed with clear bipartisan support in the House 58-3 and with an overwhelming majority in the Senate with a 29-2 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 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 all who had a hand in helping pass this bill and making sure braiders have every opportunity to succeed.”
SF0113 will help alleviate some of the barriers that prevent Wyoming residents from working. According to the Institute for Justice’s report, License to Work, the average license for low- and moderate-income jobs in Wyoming takes 259 days of education and experience. And those required classes can be very expensive and time consuming
For instance, in Wyoming, it takes at least 1,000 hours of classes to get a license in hair braiding. This is compared to only requiring 500 hours of training for pharmacy technicians or 150 hours of training for emergency medical technicians.
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/