Gov. Quinn Signs Hair Braiding Bill into Law

Gov. Pat Quinn has signed a new bill that would allow hair-braiders in Illinois to braid hair and practice their craft without a cosmetology license. Instead, braiders will be able to obtain a hair-braiding license after they prove the state that they have at least 2-years of experience and pay a fee. People who are new to the art of hair-braiding can obtain a license by taking 300 hours of training related to braiding methods and sanitation.

After much hype around the topic of hair-braiding, this new law will go into effect on January 1, 2011. Proponents of this new law say that it's a well-needed measure to protect small businesses (mostly owned by African and African-American women) that have been "raided" by the state's professional regulation department for not having proper licenses to braid hair.