WISH TV
Updated: Jan 20, 2012 7:29 PM
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indiana House committee will consider a controversial change Friday that would eliminate the requirement for cosmetologists, barbers and dietitians to have a license to practice their trades. Hundreds are expected to show up at the statehouse to protest the proposed changes.
The House Committee on Employment, Labor and Pensions will hear testimony on HB 1006 Friday morning.
In 2010, some members of the General Assembly said they were concerned about the state having too much power over licensing in some professions. So, they asked a study committee to re-evaluate the system.
The report issued by the Regulated Occupations Evaluation Committee (ROEC) in December found licensing for cosmetologists, dieticians, private investigators and security guards to be unnecessary. It recommends that lawmakers eliminate the requirements.
Some local stylists, cosmetologists and estheticians disagree.
“There’s so much that we’ve had to learn, as far as anatomy, chemistry, physiology, bacteriology,” said Laura Lancaster, a licensed cosmetologist at Trichology Salon in Carmel. “So there’s more to it than just a pair of scissors and a good haircut.”
Salon owner Jessica Deetz worries deregulation could damage the industry as a whole.
“There are lots of requirements. We have to properly sterilize equipment. We have training on how to protect yourself if we were to cut a customer or cut ourselves. Each stylist’s station has to have a trash can and ample supply of towels. If this bill passes, all of those requirements go away. We use all of that to keep our customers safe,” she said.
Deetz says many of her customers have also voiced concerns about the bill, saying they would feel uncomfortable getting their hair cut or styled by an unlicensed person. She also worries about the effect of the bill on her bottom line.
“All of the products we sell, we charge state sales tax. The state would lose all that money and money from our licensing fees. And, we wouldn’t be able to sell those products because professional companies wouldn’t sell them to someone who isn’t licensed. They’re exclusive. So, our retail would disappear,” she said.
Rep. David Wolkins (R-Winona Lake) is sponsoring the bill on behalf of the ROEC. He says the end result of the deregulation efforts won’t be as bad as some fear.
“I do not think we’re going to do away totally with the licenses. I do not think that will be the end result,” he said.
Wolkins said the committee will see what changes are possible to accomplish less government intervention, while continuing common sense oversight.
A vote on the issue is now expected next week.
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KaraSpeckman | January 24 2012 2:16pm
I have been a licensed cosmetologists for 21 years. There are several issues that have not considered. #1. If a license will not be required beauty supply stores will cease to exist. A license is rewuired in order to purchase these products. #2. Indiana will no longer be able to host hair shows because anyone from Indiana will not be able to attend without a license. Cosmetologists, estheticians, barbers, and manicurists all attend these hair shows to gather new information for continuing education. #3. If licensure is deregulated, anyone holding this type of license will be unable to move to a different state and practice his/her profession without attending a school of that profession and spending that money all over again due to the fact of non-licensure. #4. Deregulating licensure will send a message that education is not important, and will set Indiana back 100 years or more. Kara Speckman
fortheride | January 21 2012 9:06am
Haztobesaid you are right on. This is just the start. If they have thier way you would could purchase cosmetic surgery such a breast implants and face lifts from Ronco for three easy payments of 19.95 and if you buy now they will throw in a colonoscopy. Of course this will be performed illigal immigrant working for 60 cents an hour but what a bargain.
haztobesaid | January 21 2012 6:25am
While we are at it, why don't we get rid of driver's licenses, real estate licenses, all medical licenses, and any other license you can think of at the state level?
Why is anyone lobbying for this?
junkkit | January 20 2012 11:33pm
These hairstylists have paid money to earn their licenses and I would not go to one who did not have a license. Damaged hair is hard to recover from and they need to be licensed just like any other profession. Who ever brought forth this legislation should look into what it takes to become licensed before bringing this up. Also Right To Work should be passed. All employees should have the right to join a union or not to join. Good example is is a grocery store chain where you have to join the union even though you make low wages. This is especially bad for kids who work part time and make little pay anyway.
6951 | January 20 2012 11:00pm
Be glad RTW slowed this down or you would have never known about until you woke up one morning and found your license worthless.They were trying to move this through just like RTW without campaigning on it or having public input. Someone must be paying big bucks to get this passed. Remember them at election time. Get organized!
fortheride | January 20 2012 9:07pm
Be carefull who you vote for. This is just the start. If the right to work bill passes there will be no protection or voice for the middle class.
bburgbill | January 20 2012 5:16pm
So it seems the only thing politicians are up to these days are cutting wages and jobs along with reducing freedom. My suggestion is that they think of an idea and do the exact opposite. So many of them have no brains at all. Full support from me for all you cosmetology people!! Certainly an area that requires a trained individual! Like me, you are at the statehouse trying to defend your job when common sense says you shouldnt have to.
lblaes | January 20 2012 12:49pm
ok so i have had it with political bs, so here goes people think that cosmetology is something that anyone can do. I paid 36000 dollars to go to school to be an educator in the cosmetology field, what most college students do in two years for an associates degree we do in on year , they attend school twenty hours a week we spend forty, the federal government gave me loans for college ....I studied in books memorized terms, studied anatomy, chemistry,ecology, and buisness took written exams including finals and hands on exams and also was an apprentice for 8 hours a day as well... those two peices of paper that I hold are my associates degree and bachelors degree, they arent given to me by the school but by the state because they test my knowledge as well that is the only difference but that is a big difference, so why if someone goes to school for the same amount of time and earns a degree, why shouldnt they be allowed to maintain that through the state just as any other person does, if they remove this liscens we as cosmetologist will never be able to move or operate out of the state of indiana because no state in the united states offers a provisional liscense so you have to go back to school even if you have been liscensed for 20 years and pay for it all over again so adding insult to injury you will have to start all over, and lets dont forget all of the teenagers you are taking an educational program from vocational students all over indiana take this course because they are preparing themselves to have jobs during college or because they had a child at sixteen and that is what keeps them going... the hope that they can atleast have a good paying job after highschool, people think that this will create more jobs as well well let me burst your gold coated bubble dreams that we stylist make alot of money, corporate owned salons pay their employees 7.25 an hour,if you suck you get fired , commision based salons earn money off of you for the work you do so if you dont know what you are doing and you dont make any money you get fired... and as for a booth rent salon well if you dont have a job before hand you wont be able to afford to get started , it typically cost about three thousand dollars to get started and then you have to pay booth rent that can be between 100-200 dollars a week so if you dont have clients you will be paying out of pocket for rent .... so leave things as they should be indiana you stand to lose a million dollars a year just on our liscensing fees ... who in the capital is willing to take that pay cut !
bubbaarmy | January 20 2012 11:24am
what the hell is this state coming to really like i want someone who cant cut hair to cut hair are we just lowering our standards to let people have jobs(hey we have 1,000 jobs in indiana but 900 of the people doing the work are not trained)go to school and get the traing you need to do the work and quit letting people with no education get jobs
barber1979 | January 20 2012 10:42am
I have been a barber stylist for many years. I have seen teens and woman come in shops and have used chemicals on their hair and have completely fried & damaged their hair plus they end up with odd colors, whether it being color, straightener or perms.
I would never have someone whom is not licensed and have gone to a professional school that teaches these services color or perm my hair, let alone cut my hair.
Also; people that do not go to school do not know to check the scalp of the client for lice, abrasions, or rashes. Having lice can spread to others through unsterilized equipment and I believe it is still a law that when lice is found that the particular person having it should be told they have it and that professional needs to tell that person to go home and direct him/her on how to treat it. I DO NOT AGREE with taking away our licenses or schooling. I learned a great deal about the anatomy of the body and how each organ works and what it is for and much much more. Also those without this education would not know not to do facials on people with high blood pressure, etc. These are just a few starters to think about.
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