But how is that a case for mandating a license? If you're unlicensed, good luck running your business. Licensing = seal of approval/quality. If people want to take their risks with unlicensed barbers... be my guest... you might save a few bucks, but you may also end up like this. Sounds to me like the state just wants its cut... no pun intended.
A "statist?" If you mean a native fan and supporter of the State of Texas, then you would be correct.
I think it's a health issue. In addition to lice or mites, there is also the possible spreading of blood born pathogens as razors or clippers may draw blood, and then be used again on another customer. Perhaps some of the hair dyes or other products I don't use could be harmful as well. I would guess that is why a license is required.
Health and subjective quality. If barbering includes stylists for women, there's a lot of chemical stuff that goes on, especially if you're doing any coloring or trying to straighten. It's also possible that some of these places have other stuff going on that the cops might want to look in to. I've never seen any drug stuff; but just about every shop I've been to, even the one here in Omaha, there's always been a DVD bootlegger of some kind.
You don't think it is possible that it could be nothing but profiteering? What about Floral Arranging licensing in Louisiana? Yoga in Texas? Yoga professionals to state: Leave us in peace Studios form alliance to fight efforts to charge for certification http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7164668.html "A band of yoga professionals and supporters are bending over backward to persuade state lawmakers to tell the Texas Workforce Commission to get off their backs and let them practice in peace. The commission began sending letters last year to yoga studios and schools that offer teaching programs suspected of being out of compliance with rules for postsecondary career schools that provide vocational training. Yogis across the state were given a choice: Pay a $50,000 fine, secure the proper certificate at a cost of $1,000 to $3,000, close up shop or file for an exemption."
FB, you freakin' statist! What's wrong with you? To add a bit to your excellent post, something learned during the 1500 hours of training a barber must receive (or the equivilant in work experience) and is needed to pass the exam is knowledge in sanitation: 1. What is an approved sterilizer? Texas Occupations Code 1603.352 lists the three methods of approved sterilization; autoclave, dry heat, and ultraviolet light. These are the methods required to sterilize all metal manicure/pedicure instruments. The sterilizer must be listed with the FDA. 2. What establishments are required to have sterilizers? Effective June 15, 2007, all Texas barber and cosmetology shops, salons and schools that provide manicure/pedicure services are required to sterilize all metal instruments with an autoclave, dry heat, or ultraviolet light sterilizer that is listed with the FDA. http://www.license.state.tx.us/barbers/barberfaq.htm#l2 You know, stuff like that. (this Google gizmo is terrific!)
I don't really know about the floral thing. I could see Yoga as well needing license because if people think they are qualified and start doing stretches or things that give them a spinal injury that could be bad.
Kudos for making sure a pretty benign topic like barbery is worthy of its place in the D&D. I think that's the system I was advocating in the prior post. Have a board certify you and you can display their logo. I think it's better. Of course, it'd be a little hard to get from here to there. You'd start with no brand awareness for this certification, so consumers won't know to look for the logo. And then why would a barber pay extra money for a seal of approval that isn't worth anything in the short run? Anyway, if they can make it work, I think it would be better. I don't usually give the health angle much respect, but there's probably some legitimacy here. I think you see the same market dynamic in these other industries that I mentioned for barbering. Yoga and flower arranging are other industries in which anybody can hang a shingle and pretend to know what they're doing, driving down quality and prices for the honest professionals who took the time to train. I don't think I'd classify it as profiteering if the State uses regulation to make sure the public can avail itself of quality services. The State does collect fees, but it takes money to administer the system, so I don't think it's a huge cash-cow for them either. A nonprofit trade group filling the same role would probably require similar fees. But, it might be SOCIALISM!
I think the line of thinking is that people with crappy services will only be able to make what the market will bear, and will otherwise be driven out of business. Sink or swim, and such. If you do a crappy job, your income will be crappy. If you do a good job, your income will be good. Should the state have to step in with market regulation for yoga...? I can *almost* see the public health issue with barbering... almost... but it's about the only bucket I've seen in this argument that carries water (and it doesn't carry much of it) in an otherwise crowded field of sieves. I don't have a problem with instituting a license exam, or certification, but mandating it is kinda iffy.
From the article it sounds like this is the case. Anyway on a slight tangent I am curious what people would say if this was ICE raid to find illegal immigrants working in barbershops.
The anti-government, anti-regulation logic gets pretty shaky once you begin delving into some of these issues.
My mom was a barber\manicurist and the licensing exam had a lot of questions about diseases and sanitation procedures. Call me a statist or whatever, but I think government intervention in these types of businesses makes perfect sense, considering the types of diseases, fungus, organisms and other sorts nastiness that could be spread to the public from an ignorant barber that doesn't have any knowledge of such things.
