Document:California Press Release 1 April 1999 Legislature to Deregulate Hair Braiding
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- NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA
- 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 900
- Sacramento, CA 95814
- (916) 449-3941
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- For immediate release: April 1, 1999
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- For additional information:
- Juan Ros, Executive Director
- Phone: (818) 506-0200
- Mailto:director@ca.lp.org
- Web: http://www.ca.lp.org/
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Legislature to deregulate hair braiding -- and Libertarians aren't fooling
SACRAMENTO -- Two bills are working their way through the Legislature to deregulate hair braiding -- and the Libertarian Party of California says that's not an April Fool's Day prank.
"This is no joke," lamented Libertarian state chairman Mark Hinkle. "It's a serious sign that government has gone too far trying to micromanage our lives."
Both AB 132 by Assembly member Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) and SB 235 by Senator Ray Haynes (R-Riverside) would exempt hair braiding from regulation under the state Barbering and Cosmetology Act. Currently, hair braiders are required to spend upwards of $9,000 on cosmetology training and a licensing exam -- neither of which covers hair braiding.
"For once the Legislature has done the right thing by separating hair and state, but hair braiding is the exception. Government tries to legislate every aspect of human life, and Libertarians object to that," noted Hinkle. "Our legislators have gone hog wild -- like kids in a joke shop -- introducing foolish bills covering almost any subject."
Some "foolish" bills among the 3,006 bills introduced during this legislative session include:
- A bill that would require gas station owners to provide free air and water to customers (AB 531 by Assembly member Nell Soto, D-Ontario)
- A bill that would prevent the release into the wild of live bullfrogs and turtles imported into California for use as food (AB 238 by Mike Honda, D-San Jose)
- A bill that would add warning labels to cigars, similar to those found on packs of cigarettes (AB 1595 by Migden)
- A bill that would raise the maximum amount dance studios can charge for lesson contracts from $3,750 to $6,600 (AB 648 by Tony Strickland, R-Camarillo)
- A bill regulating bunk beds and mandating strict bunk bed manufacturing requirements (AB 1520 by Lynne Leach, R-Walnut Creek)
"Bunk beds? Dance lessons? Bullfrogs? The joke's on the taxpayer because we are the fools paying for this legislation," said Hinkle.
"Today may be a day for jesters and tricksters, but Libertarians are very serious about this: we need a Legislature committed to passing as few laws as possible -- laws to adequately protect the lives, liberties, and properties of Californians. All other laws are just bunk."