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Committee approves bill to authorize barber apprenticeships, adds owner‑permission and flexible training window
Summary
The Education Committee passed House Bill 257 to create registered barber apprenticeships. Committee amendments added owner permission for shop‑based apprenticeships, aligned education requirements with existing statute, and extended the apprenticeship window to up to four years.
Representative John Singh sponsored House Bill 257 to establish an apprenticeship pathway for barbers, allowing registered barbers to select and train apprentices in shop settings.
Under the bill as amended in committee, a registered barber may select up to two apprentices at a time (with the written permission of the shop owner if the barber is not the owner). Apprentices must complete required training, including a minimum of 36 hours of training and safety instruction; initial language set a one‑to‑two‑year window to complete the apprenticeship, and committee members amended that window to allow up to four years to accommodate life events that can delay completion.
The committee also amended the bill’s education language to match current licensing statute: an apprentice who completes the apprenticeship must have an education equivalent to completion of the second year of high school and be at least 17 years old (this conforms the bill to existing statute cited in committee).
The Board of Barber Examiners will be responsible for promulgating rules necessary to implement the apprenticeship program, including fees and final hour requirements. Adrian Maldonado, vice president of the Barber Board, and Angel Maldonado, a shop owner, testified in support and asked the committee to retain rulemaking flexibility so the board can set practical implementation details.
Committee members discussed several technical clarifications — adding a requirement that a barber have owner permission to host an apprentice if the barber does not own the shop, allowing greater flexibility in the apprenticeship completion window (up to four years), and aligning schooling language to existing statute — and adopted those changes as friendly or formal amendments.
The committee voted to pass the bill as amended. Roll call recorded nine ayes; the clerk announced “9 ayes.” The bill will proceed for further consideration with the amendments adopted in committee.
Speakers included Representative John Singh (bill sponsor), Adrian Maldonado (Barber Board vice president), Angel Maldonado (barbershop owner), and several committee members who offered and approved amendments.
