By Paula Rogo, essence.com
Tennessee has been cracking down on unlicensed hair braiders, having levied almost $100,000 in fines in the last decade to more than 30 different natural hair stores in the state.
According to a report by Forbes, many of these violations — identified by the Institute for Justice—were for braiding without a license, not health or sanitation violations. The Tennessee Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners gives a $1,000 “civil penalty” every time it finds a person that gives natural hair care services without a license.
Now a number of salon owners and braiders are uniting to support a bill that could eliminate the state’s required license for natural hair stylists. Gaining the license is already quite an ordeal: braiders have to complete 300 hours of coursework, and only three schools in the state offer those courses. These schools charge between $1,500 to $5,000 for tuition.
