12 Jun The Deregulation of the Florida Barber License
If you’re looking to become a barber, interior designer, auctioneer or talent agent in Florida, then there’s never been a better time than now – or a few months from now. In January 2019, Florida Governor Ron Desantis gathered the licensing boards for more than 17 different fields to propose the deregulation of these professions – referred to as the “deregathon.” This proposition means reducing the time and curriculum requirements for obtaining a FL license to practice in certain fields. However, this change leaves practicing stylists, barbers and other specialists wondering what deregulation means for the future of the industry and the safety of the public.
What Is Deregulation?
Deregulation is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the act or process of removing restrictions and regulations.”
Why Was Deregulation Proposed?
The governor proposed this bill as an attempt to boost the economy and job market in Florida. According to Desantis, the time requirements to enter certain fields is creating roadblocks for people wanting to start a career – specifically lower income people who are also working minimum wage jobs while going to school. The idea is to protect marginalized groups and help them find a career path quicker while also boosting Florida’s economy.
Deregulation would mean severely cutting back hours. Currently barbers and restricted barbers are required to complete 1200 hours of training, as well as a course on HIV/AIDS safety. However, the proposed bill would scale this back to 600 hours for fully licensed barbers and 325 hours for restricted barbers*, a drastic change.
*Restricted barbers in Florida are authorized to complete cuts, styles and shampoos but may not apply any chemicals to the hair.
How Do Professionals Feel About Deregulation?
While there are some professionals who support making the field more accessible to hopeful stylists, barbers, nail technicians and estheticians to enter the field, the main concern remains to be the impact on the quality and credibility of the industry as well as the safety of the public.
As it stands, the current 1200 hour requirement allots time to cover several topics:
- Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and fungal diseases
- Recognizing skin and scalp conditions
- Fundamentals of hair cutting/styling
- Chemical procedures
- Overall laws and rules of the industry
Some licensed stylists believe that even 1200 hours may not be enough to fully educate someone seeking a license, so to further reduce that time could be detrimental to the quality of stylists and barbers coming from these programs. This would be harmful in itself because it may discourage salons from employing Florida-licensed professionals.
Economic Impact
Not only would deregulation potentially decrease the quality of future licensed barbers and stylists, but it may even hurt the economy. Florida is a travel destination where people come to getaway and pamper themselves. However, visitors may begin to avoid our commodities for fear of walking into a salon with undertrained staff and subsequently walking out with less than superb results.
Public Safety
Perhaps the largest concern is public safety. Cleaning tools properly, holding shears correctly, and identifying potential conditions are just a few skills that if not mastered can lead to harm. A drastic deregulation could lead to Florida earning last place in cosmetology safety standards.
Our trained professionals are not fighting back in order to keep a hold on the competition or to secure their bag, they are fighting for the credibility of their profession. Extensive training not only gives future professionals the skills they need but it also helps to weed out those who are not committed to the longevity of the industry. It takes a lot of training and dedication to enter this field and if you aren’t willing to put in the time – all 1200 hours – then you may not be cut out for the job.