Prior to the new law, unlicensed hair braiding was a misdemeanor, an offense that could incur fines of up to $1,000 per infraction.
Unlike Western-style cosmetology, which uses potentially dangerous chemicals, traditional African hair braiding is all-natural and requires a completely different skillset.
In Idaho, that license requires at least 1,600 hours of classes and costs more than $16,000 on average, according to the Institute for Justice.
Further rubbing salt into the wound, the state doesn’t require cosmetology schools to even teach African hair styling braiding.
“Under Idaho’s cosmetology licensing regime, someone versed in African-style hair braiding may not provide African-style hair braiding for compensation without a cosmetology license.
At the same time, someone with a cosmetology license need not have any experience or skills in African-style hair braiding to provide African-style hair braiding for compensation.”.
“The government has no business licensing something as safe and common as hair braiding,” said Institute for Justice Attorney Caroline Grace Brothers. »