STATEHOUSE (April 21, 2017) — State Rep. Tim Wesco’s (R-Osceola) bill that would allow individuals to practice natural hair braiding without a license could soon be law.
Wesco said under current state law, people who braid hair for-hire must hold a cosmetology license, which takes at least 1,500 hours of training, even though many beauty schools have little-to-no course instruction on this type of service. This requirement creates an undue burden on people who have this skill and want to be able to provide for themselves and their families. Practicing natural hair braiding without a license can carry a Class C infraction with a $500 fine.
“Other states currently do not regulate this service, which has resulted in citizens leaving Indiana to legally practice their trade,” Wesco said. “In fact, one woman moved to Texas because she could not perform hair braiding, advertise or build a customer base in Indiana. We should not place this unreasonable burden on individuals who have this skill set.”
This proposal would apply only to natural hair braiding services. Braiding that requires the use of chemicals for hair relaxation or hair coloring will still require a cosmetology license.
House Enrolled Act 1243 now moves to the governor’s desk for consideration as a new law.
-30-
State Rep. Tim Wesco (R-Osceola) represents House District 21, which
includes portions of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties.
A high-resolution photo of Wesco can be downloaded by clicking here.
