Support expressed for cosmetology bills

I am writing in response to The News-Herald’s April 14 story “Northeast Ohio salon owners oppose proposed bills to change cosmetology laws.” In fact, there are many Northeast Ohio salon owners or managers who, like me, support legislation to remove unnecessary barriers on cosmetologists.

One of the main arguments in the story seemed to be that more education is always good. This is not borne out by the evidence, which shows public vocational students have just as much chance of success on the state licensing exam and in the workplace as their private school counterparts — even though they are required to take only about 1,000 hours of training compared to 1,500 hours, respectively. (Note that a police officer in Ohio is required to complete 695 hours of training.)

Further, the legislation in question does not prevent students from taking more than the required number of hours. They could take 2,000 hours if they wanted to, though for private school students this would add even more tuition expense than what they now wrestle with.

The changes in Senate Bill 129 and House Bill 189 are common-sense answers to real barriers to getting skilled workers in high demand jobs — something salons like Dino Palmieri and our local economy need.

Shana Fry-Izworski Director of operations Dino Palmieri Salon and Spa