Key Takeaways: Senate Bill 354 removes the licensing requirements for certain barber services, changing the landscape of education and licensing within the industry. While both sides make compelling points, one thing is certain–Bill 354 will affect barber regulations in noticeable ways. This article explains what you need to know.
What Senate Bill 354 Means for Barbers
Georgia Bill 354 is officially now a law, carrying with it the potential to shift the barbering landscape. This change to barber regulations was hotly debated, with supporters from both sides of the issue passionately defending their positions. In the end, Bill 354 passed and is now effective.
Barber regulations, such as education and licensing requirements, have long set the expectations and standards within the barber industry. With the introduction of Senate Bill 354 and its passage into law, those standards are now changing. Read on for everything you need to know as a barber.
Bill 354 and Barber Regulations
The Basics of Bill 354
The Cosmetologists and Barbers; persons performing certain limited responsibilities; exempt from licensure bill (more commonly referred to as Bill 354) is designed to do one thing–reduce or eliminate the licensing requirements traditionally associated with certain barbering tasks. While it leaves most barber regulations in place, it allows barber shops to hire unlicensed people to fill the following positions.
- Applying cosmetics
- Blow-dry styling
- Brushing
- Combing
- Shampooing
- Washing
How exactly does this apply practically? Bill 354 essentially eliminates the need for education and apprenticeship for those working in these specific positions. Translation–approximately 1,500 hours of learning are no longer required.
What Barbers Should Know About Senate Bill 354
Now that Bill 354 has gone into effect, it’s essential that barbers understand its potential impact–for better or for worse. While it may take a bit of time for the change to become noticeable throughout the barber industry, there are certain possibilities to be aware of as you navigate these uncharted waters.
"Now that Bill 354 has gone into effects, it's essential that barbers understand its potential impact–for better or for worse."
New Barbering Opportunities
The primary benefit of Bill 354 is the removal of prerequisites for what are considered entry-level positions within the barber industry. Because it allows people to begin working certain jobs in barber shops without first going through substantial amounts of education and training, Bill 354 opens the door to more workers who want to get their feet wet in the barber industry.
Not only does this grant opportunities to more people, but it also gives barber shops a larger pool of willing workers to hire from.
Good Intentions, Bad Results?
The removal of certain standards in order to create more opportunities within the barber industry may be well-intentioned, but there are some serious concerns regarding the actual implementation of these new barber regulations. What might be good in theory could be bad in reality.
- Removing education and training could lead to serious safety concerns. The likelihood of mistakes, including those that cause injury, increases dramatically without proper training. The same principle applies to cleaning and sanitation–if the standard of excellence is reduced, the possibility of unsafe and unsanitary working conditions becomes much greater.
- You probably feel a great sense of accomplishment and pride in your barber license, and you should. When you work hard for something, put in the effort and time, and have the qualifications to show for your commitment, it should mean something. When you reduce or eliminate the requirements for barber services, you cheapen the other licenses. This negatively impacts the value of barber regulations.
- Changing barber regulations is a slippery slope. It may start as lowering the standard for entry-level positions, but the ripple effect is real. Questioning which educational, licensing, and training requirements will be eliminated next is a valid thing to do. Is that downward spiral really in the best interest of the industry and its clients?
- Inexperienced workers may be easier to find and less expensive to employ, but are those the right priorities? The lower requirements for certain barber positions puts shops that uphold a high standard of excellence at a disadvantage–how can they prioritize licensed, experienced, well-trained employees when other shops can hire unqualified individuals at a lower cost?
How to Adapt to Senate Bill 354
There is a lot of uncertainty regarding Bill 354 and how it will affect barbers now that it is effective, but one thing is clear–it will change things. So, how do you keep pace in an evolving world of barber regulations?
One of the best things you can do is stay informed. Subscribe to the National Barbers Insurance to stay up to date on the latest barber industry news, including updates about Bill 354. You can also visit our blog for barbering insights, tips, and tricks.
