Sanford: State's overregulation must stop

South Carolina, according to Gov. Mark Sanford, took one giant step toward cleaner, shinier, healthier hair today when Sanford signed a bill removing the legal requirement for shampooers to receive the same state-mandated 1,500 hours of training that cosmetologists receive.

Unfortunately, a Sanford news release says, "the bill does nothing to address the fact that state law requires 1,500 hours of training to be a cosmetologist - almost four times the amount of state-required training to become a police officer - and just one of a number of examples of overregulation by state government."

"While we're having some fun with this bill today, it does raise a serious issue about overregulation in South Carolina, which in a lot of cases is more about protecting the profits of people in a particular industry rather than protecting the consumer," Sanford said. "Other times, laws are outdated or just plain silly. But the bottom line is that we need to take a serious look at places where we can peel back unnecessary government interference, and we need to do it in a way that takes as little time away from more pressing issues as possible."

Here is Sanford's Top 10 list of laws and proposals he thinks lack common sense:

1. State law requires an individual to complete 1,500 hours of instruction to become a cosmetologist. It takes more hours of licensing to become a cosmetologist in SC than it does to become a police officer (396 hours) or carry a concealed weapon (8 hours).

2. Caskets and Stones, a retail funeral store in Greenwood, submitted their license application, paid their fee, were scheduled to go before the Board of Funeral Directors, and were told they could open. But then the Board gave them a "cease and desist" order --  essentially telling them to stop selling caskets. The Board fined them $1,500 for "opening before their Board appointment." They had to pay it before they could get their license.

3. Fortune Tellers are required to obtain a special permit in order to operate in South Carolina.

4. A proposed bill would require high school football and basketball playoff games to have replay for officials to use during these games.

5. Barbering schools are required by law to have at least ten instructional chairs -- and those chairs are required by law to be upholstered and finished exactly the same way.

6. In 2003, a bill was introduced that would have required all drinking straws in South Carolina be sold in individual wrappers. The bill almost led to a fist fight on the House floor.

7. The fourth Friday in October in each year is designated by law in public schools as Frances Willard Day, and each public school is required "to prepare and render a suitable program on the day to the end that the children of the state may be taught the evils of intemperance."

8. Circuses cannot exceed 48 hours at one place in any one year.

9. If a menu or advertisement states "frozen dessert," it must correctly state the specific frozen dessert that is offered for sale so as not to mislead the consumer.

10. Musical instruments are not allowed to be sold on Sunday.

Comments

[Kira Pinski]

I think SC should require at least 1500 hrs for a full cosmetology license. This is how Oregon, the state where I live now, breaks it down.

Hair Design 1450 hours
Barbering 1100 hours
Esthetics 250 hours
Nail Technology 350 hours
In addition, all students must complete the following:
Safety/Sanitation 150 hours
Career Development 100 hours

You want people who know about skin/hair disease, safety and sanitation, what to do in an emergency, and basic cutting/coloring skills working with the general public. A police officer does not touch many clients all day and have the possibility of spreading disease/infections to the community.

[drastic dave]

Please stop them before I get another bad hair day....for the public good...they must be stopped and moved to Oregon.

[Janis Boothe]

I do not understand what Govenor Sanford is thinking. You need a person that works in a salon trained in sanitation and preventing infections. With the spread of MRSA on the rise a shampoo girl should know how to take precautions. If a person is working in a salon not only will they shampoo but also do other duties with clients. There are not enough inspectors to montor that the shampoo girl is just shampooing. Mr. Sanford thinks this is a crazy law but he has never worked in a salon and see how germs may be transmitted. Look out clients you may have a bricklayer or mechanic shampooing your hair.

[L. Parrish]

I am currently a cosmetology student and am very disturbed by our Governor's lack of concern for the people of our states welfare when working in the beauty industry. Our profession is a $50 billion dollar a year industry. I believe our education and hands-on skills are more important than people think. With our liscence we are allowed to cut, color & style hair; give facials and properly apply make-up; massage the head, neck, shoulders arms, hands, calves, ankles, and feet; and provide nails services. We are required to know the muscles and motorpoints of these areas. We are also required to know about infectious diseases, pathogens, safety, & sanitaion. Our country requires the least ammount of education for this growing industry. After all, hair is like change, it constantly grows! We're not "JUST HAIR DRESSERS!!!!"