June 11, 2013
Latino Legislators marked passage of a bill creating a new Barbershop Apprenticeship Program. The bill, House Bill 6485 passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelming majority and was unanimously adopted in the Senate and awaits the governor’s signature.
“I look forward to the results of the study so we can finally put into place a program that works for all barbers,” Rep. Minnie Gonzalez (D-Hartford) said.
“I believe implementing an apprentice program is the right way to go, especially for the barbershops in Waterbury that are struggling to stay open,” Rep. Victor Cuevas (D-Waterbury) said.
“This is an opportunity for our young men and women to achieve their dreams of becoming entrepreneurs,” Rep. Hilda Santiago (D-Meriden) said.
“I am excited to have a program that will give our constituents the opportunity to further develop the skill of hairdressing that is of great interest in our community. I expect this program will be well utilized and will help many of our constituents not only become licensed but have the opportunity to become business owners! This is a great program for Bridgeport and other similar cities. I thank my colleagues for giving this opportunity to those in the barber industry and look forward to the results,” Rep. Christina Ayala (D-Bridgeport) said.
Rep. Juan Candelaria (D-New Haven) stated, “We have been talking to barbers across our cities about this issue and we agree that everyone who works in this field needs to have a license. I am pleased to support a measure that will bring some light to this situation, and eventually help those unlicensed barbers get their license. In the end, everyone will win.”
“I remember one of the first pieces of legislation I worked on with the help of Rep. Minnie Gonzalez that removed the need to pass the English proficiency test when applying for barber licensure based on an out-of-state license. This removed a hurdle for many people who have the necessary skills to do the work well, but did not master the English language. This to me is another step in the right direction and has the potential down the line to create additional resources that help facilitate people being properly licensed in Connecticut,” Rep. Ezequiel Santiago (D-Bridgeport) said.
Rep. Angel Arce (D-Hartford) said, “Barbers play a vital role in our local economy. We want to make sure that they are all in compliance with the law and that consumers can feel assured that their barber has the proper training and license to do their job. This program will help us get there.”
Rep. Bobby Sanchez (D-New Britain) said, “This is a step in the right direction to address concerns brought to us by licensed and unlicensed barbers. Protecting the health of our constituents as well as leveling the playing field for those interested in this profession is most important to me. I look forward to the results and recommendations for this program that will give our barbers an opportunity to get their licenses in order.”
The new law directs the Connecticut State Apprenticeship Council to study the feasibility of creating a barbershop apprenticeship program and issue a report recommending the educational and professional program requirements and how much time is needed to get the program up and running. The report is due by January 1st, 2014.
This is a program aimed directly at job growth. One that will also help cash strapped students work under the supervision of a licensed professional barber and move up the economic ladder while obtaining an education.
In addition, the state will also benefit from the additional revenue collected by more individuals paying for their barbers apprentice permit and consequently their Master Barber’s permit.