Severin Legislation Addressing Barber Workforce Shortage Earns Unanimous House Support

SPRINGFIELD, IL … State Rep. Dave Severin (R-Benton) has earned unanimous House support for legislation he is carrying aimed at addressing current shortages in the barber trade in Illinois.

Severin says HB 4570 was brought to him by a former cosmetology teacher at Rend Lake College.

"A constituent of mine who has been teaching barber and cosmetology classes for more than 30 years was looking to get a cross-classification into a different specialty teaching, but was told that in order to get that new specialty license, she would have to take the classes that she was teaching," Severin said. "More than 30 years of teaching a class was not sufficient according to current law. The passage of this bill into law will be a way for teachers of these kinds of courses to earn an exemption from having to take the courses they teach due to their obvious expertise and experience."

"This is a common sense measure that allows someone that has already earned a cosmetology license and has taught to count the barber education they received toward their goal of becoming a barber," Severin said. "I am thankful for this measure being brought to me and for my House colleagues for recognizing the need for more barbers in Illinois. This bill is a small but important step forward in addressing the current shortage."

To learn more about HB 4570 and to follow its progress, visit ILGA.gov. The legislation now moves to the Illinois Senate for consideration.

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