Harper Angel’s bill to remove barriers for blow-dry only salons heads to House floor

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) —Legislation that would expand economic opportunities across Kentucky by removing licensing and educational barriers for blow-dry only salons is headed to the floor of the House of Representatives.

Senate Bill 106, sponsored by Senator Denise Harper Angel, D-Louisville, passed unanimously out of the House Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations Committee yesterday.

The bill encourages economic growth for Kentucky by establishing a ‘limited license” for these salons and significantly lowering the initial training requirements. “By reducing these licensing and tuition costs to enter into this field, we are removing barriers to education and employment,” Harper Angel said.

This limited licensure for blow-dry only salons sets the accreditation requirement for these stylists at 450 hours — streamlining more than 1,000 hours of training.  Additional training would not be necessary because these licensed cosmetologists are not working with chemicals or cutting hair, only washing and styling hair, Harper Angel explained.

Under current Kentucky statutes, these types of salons must obtain a full salon license and employ only board-licensed cosmetologists who have completed 1,500 hours of training.

“Blow-dry only salons are rapidly expanding the country,” said Harper Angel.  “Currently, there are about a dozen “blow-dry bars” in Lexington and Louisville. The increase in business would not just impact our major cities, but also rural regions of the state.”

SB 106 now moves to the House floor for consideration by the full House of Representatives.

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Media release from the Legislative Research Commission.