Virginia Senate Committee Amends and Advances Hour Reduction Bill

The last full week of January finds 36 state legislatures actively meeting.  There are also several legislative chambers with bill introduction deadlines this week, including the: Colorado Senate; Hawaii House and Senate; Idaho Senate; Mississippi House and Senate; Wyoming Senate; and Nebraska’s unicameral legislature.  During this critical period, AACS will continue to keep you apprised of the latest state legislative developments of interest to member schools.      

In Virginia, the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee amended SB 1568 Monday to reduce the course of instruction for barbering and cosmetology licensure to 1,000 hours.  Under current law and regulations, barbering requires a 1,100-hour course for licensure and cosmetology requires a 1,500-hour course of instruction.  The committee subsequently voted unanimously, 13 to 0, to report the bill to the full 40-member Senate.  A House companion, HB 2335, which as originally drafted calls for no more than 1,200 hours for cosmetology and barbering licensure has been referred to the House General Laws Committee.

West Virginia’s House voted 96 to 0 last Friday to pass… click here to read the full update.