Arkansas Barber Bill 410 Withdrawn

by Kelly Miller

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.–Senate Bill 410, a bill repealing the Arkansas Barber law, was withdrawn by its sponsor, Sen. John Cooper on Wednesday. The bill was introduced at Little Rock last week and was presented as a measure to make jobs more accessible to the barber and stylist industry. It comes from the Red Tape Reduction Working Group, appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to review and address unnecessary regulations that create barriers for jobs.

Sen. John Cooper is co-chair of the group. He said the bill was trying to make it easier for people to get jobs and also make services less expensive for the consumer.

Denise Myers, owner of the Designer Barber and Stylist schools in Springdale and Fort Smith said the education was necessary because it provides important information pertaining to public health and hygiene.

“Some things need to be monitored and watched rather than letting anyone out there with a license,” said Myers.

Young student barbers were also opposed to it because they had already invested into their education.

“Its roughly $16,000…with tuition and all of our supplies to do this. So this is basically if this bill passes..I’ve spent $16,000 for absolutely nothing.  After I finish that…just means..I’ll be lumped in with folks who didn’t go to school and pay the fee and just be a registered barber instead of a licensed barber,” said Travis Sorenson, a student at the Designer Barber and Stylist School at Springdale.

On Change.org, a petition online, the opposition to Senate Bill 410 gathered over five thousand signatures.