An audience member at the May 1, 2023 meeting of the Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology directly pointed to Chairman Edwin Neill and stated, “I’m not going to lie. I feel like I’ve been railroaded by Aveda.” Aveda is a very large cosmetology school owned by Neill, who was accused of “conspiring” behind the scenes to support HB-470 by Rep. Mary DuBuisson to reduce the number of hours required for cosmetology licensure from 1,500 to 1,200. Soon after her remarks, the audience member to her left stood and declared Neill to be running a “dog and pony show” as she exited the meeting but not before insisting that Neill “immediately resign.” She indicated she’d be going directly to her State Senator and to Gov. Edwards over the whole matter.
The meeting of the Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology of Monday, May 1, 2023 was truly one for the books! Tempers flared among almost the entire room over State Rep. Mary DuBuisson (R-Slidell) and her sponsorship of HB-470 which, if passed, would result in a reduction of the number of hours required to obtain a cosmetology license from 1,500 to 1,200. Get ready to see hostilities flare up by both Board Members and members of the audience to include direct calls for Cosmetology Board Chairman Edwin Neill to, “immediately resign.” Here’s that segment of the meeting:
Tempers flare up at the May 1, 2023 Cosmetology Board meeting over DuBuisson’s bill.
Needless to say, DuBuisson can count on these pro-regulation folk to firmly support whomever her opponent is in the election in October.
The above video makes reference to a “back room deal” that had been allegedly in the works for “over a year.” As angry as the school owners are in the above video, we are just as angry at a number of State Representatives (one of whom happens to be a candidate for Governor and whom we can now under no circumstances support) for their agreement to support a “companion bill,” that would raise the licensing fee for cosmetologists from $25 to $40, or a staggering 60 percent! That will result in a staggering amount of money for the Cosmetology Board to continue its anti-business practices, to include:
3. Consistently fighting Vietnamese manicurists over California license reciprocity.
5. Repeatedly incurring legal fees to fend off Rep. Julie Emerson’s hair braiding bills.
6. Shutting Nelda Dural’s small cosmetology school down and informing her she would have to remit $50,000 to get it back open. She had little choice but to file for bankruptcy.
8. Incurring yet more massive legal fees as the Institute for Justice sues on behalf of hair braiders.
Beyond all of the above, the other problems with the Cosmetology Board include employee Winn Johnson selling exams for licensure for $500 a pop. Then there was the closure of Jennifer Menard’s mobile salon to serve nursing home residents. Then there is the fact that the Board did absolutely NOTHING about Board Member Kevin Martin permitting unauthorized “observers” into his public school classroom and reportedly charging $5,000 under the table to gain credit toward a license.
Yes, THAT is the crew that the Representatives voting “YES” on this link chose to reward with a massive 60 percent license fee increase. For anybody who thinks this Board has been anti-small-business to date, to use some bad grammar, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!” As we stated previously, State Rep. Richard Nelson is now a nonstarter for us as Governor as a result of this inexcusable vote!
Now, here are the two videos for the House Commerce Committee deliberations of the two bills respectively:
4/24/23: House Commerce Committee discussion of HB-470.
4/24/23: House Commerce Committee discussion of HB-458 with the full list of culprits voting “YES” on full display here!
It truly is amazing how, when there are these type of “back room deals” being cut, somehow both sides become as angry as hornets, huh? We see a ton of losers in all this, and it would not surprise us one bit for the Cosmetology Board to end up the big winner should Gov. Edwards end up signing HB-458 and vetoing HB-470. If that’s all part of the “master plan,” perhaps that’s why Board Chairman Edwin Neill maintained a calm and cool composure when so many people were demanding his head.
At any rate, seeing HB-458’s vote means we now have a second Republican candidate (Jeff Landry being the obvious first) whom we can certainly no longer even consider supporting for Governor, and that would be State Rep. Richard Nelson. His “YES” vote on the license fee increase is absolutely inexcusable from our vantage point.
Blue Cliff is doing virtual night classes. They have a shortage of teachers at night! They are still getting away! Went to a hair show 2 students with me received messages. No school tonight assignment will be emailed!
ACADIA, CALCASIEU & CAMERON PARISHES
Abraham, Mark
Dist 25
Republican
Lake Charles, LA 70605
(337)475-3016
[email protected]
Allain, R. L. Bret
Dist 21
Republican
Franklin, LA 70538
(337)828-9107
[email protected]
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH
Barrow, Regina
Dist 15
Democrat
Baton Rouge, LA 70811
(225)359-9400
[email protected]
Bernard, Louie
Dist 31
Republican
Natchitoches, LA 71457
(318)357-3116
[email protected]
Boudreaux, Gerald
Dist 24
Democrat
Lafayette, LA 70509
(337)267-7520
[email protected]
Bouie, Joseph
Dist 3
Democrat
New Orleans, LA 70122
(504)286-1033
[email protected]
Carter, Gary
Dist 7
Democrat
New Orleans, LA 70114
(504) 361-6600
[email protected]
Cathey, Stewart Jr.
Dist 33
Republican
Monroe, LA 71203
(318)582-5524
[email protected]
ACADIA PARISH / ALLEN / AVOYELLES PARISHES 2
Cloud, Heather
Dist 28
Republican
Ville Platte, La 70586
(337)461-2595
[email protected]
Connick, Patrick
Dist 8
Republican
Marrero, LA 70072
(504)371-0240
[email protected]
Cortez, Patrick Page
Dist 23
Republican
Lafayette, LA 70508
(337)993-7430
[email protected]
Duplessis, Royce
Dist 5
Democrat
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 568-2740
[email protected]
Fesi, Michael “Big Mike”
Dist 20
Republican
Houma, LA 70363
(985)858-2979
[email protected]
Fields, Cleo
Dist 14
Democrat
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
(225)342-9514
[email protected]
Foil, Franklin J.
Dist 16
Republican
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225)342-6777
[email protected]
Harris, Jimmy
Dist 4
Democrat
New Orleans, LA 70122
(504)286-1960
[email protected]
Henry, Cameron
Dist 9
Republican
Metairie, LA 70001
(504)838-5433
[email protected]
ACADIA & ALLEN PARISHES
Hensgens, Bob Dist 26 3
Republican
Abbeville, LA 70510
(337)740-6425
[email protected]
Hewitt, Sharon
Dist 1
Republican
Chalmette, LA 70043
(985)646-6490 Slidell
[email protected]
CONCORDIA PARISH
Jackson, Katrina R.
Dist 34
Democrat
Monroe, LA 71203-4526
(318)343-2877
[email protected]
ASSUMPTION PARISH
Kleinpeter, Caleb
Dist 17
Republican
Port Allen, LA 70767
(225)246-8838
[email protected]
ASCENSION PARISH
Lambert, Eddie J. Dist 18 4
Republican
Gonzales, LA 70707
(225)673-5048
[email protected]
BIENVILLE PARISH
Luneau, Jay Dist 29
Democrat
Alexandria, LA 71301
(318)484-2288
[email protected]
McMath, Patrick
Dist 11
Republican
Covington, LA 70433
(985)900-6278
[email protected]
CADDO PARISH & DESOTO PARISHES
Milligan, Barry Dist 38
Republican
Shreveport, LA 71106
(318)862-3100
[email protected]
IBERIA PARISH
Mills, Fred H. Jr. Dist 22
Republican
New Iberia, LA
(337)845-4240 Parks
[email protected]
BIENVILLE PARISH & BOSSIER
Mills, Robert. Dist 36
Republican
Minden, LA 71055
(318)371-5200
[email protected]
Mizell, Beth
Dist 12
Republican
Franklinton, LA 70438
(985)839-3936
[email protected]
Morris, John C. “Jay”
Dist 35
Republican
West Monroe, La 71291
(318)362-4270
[email protected]
BOSSIER PARISH & CADDO PARISH
Peacock, Barrow Dist 37
Republican
Bossier City, LA 71112
(318)741-7180
[email protected]
Pope, J. Rogers
Dist 13
Republican
Denham Springs, LA 70727
(225)667-3588
[email protected]
ASCENSION PARISH
Price, Edward J. Dist 2 5
Democrat
Gonzales, LA 70737
(225)644-6738
[email protected]
BEAUREGARD & CALCASIEU PARISHES
Reese, Mike. Dist 30
Republican
DeRidder, LA 70634
(337)238-6435
[email protected]
Smith, Gary L. Jr
Dist 19
Democrat
Norco, LA 70079
(985)764-9122
[email protected]
CALCASIEU PARISH
Stine, Jeremy
Dist 27
Republican
Lake Charles, LA 70601
(337)491-2016
[email protected]
Talbot, Kirk
Dist 10
Republican
River Ridge, LA 70123
(504)736-7299
[email protected]
CADDO PARISH
Tarver, Gregory. Dist 39
Democrat
Shreveport, LA 71103
(318)227-1499
[email protected]
White, Mack “Bodi”
Dist 6
Republican
Baton Rouge, LA 70818
(225)272-1324
[email protected]
AVOYELLES, CALDWELL, CATAHOULA & CONCORDIA PARISHES
Womack, Glen Dist 32
Republican
Harrisonburg, LA
(318)744-0005
[email protected]
Please read on and contact your senators to vote NO
Re: Reducing hour requirements for completion of a full Cosmetology Course certification.
The current 1500-hour course would require only 1200 hours. Fewer hours of education = less hands-on instruction for the student.
School owners in our state (currently around 60 schools) will all be greatly and negatively impacted by a “yes” vote from your Senator on both house bills (HB470 and HB458).
The two men pushing these bills in Louisiana own Cosmetology Schools and salons in Louisiana as well as other states. These men are not cosmetologists. They are, however, known to create work environments that routinely receive negative feedback from students, staff, and clients. Their businesses, Aveda Institute and Sports Clips, garner Yelp reviews averaging below 3-stars.
Please email and/or call your Senators today, and urge them to vote “no!” Please share this message. Both bills are to be heard on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. So, time is of the essence!
Let me know if I can help you in any way. Thank you in advance for your support.
Vivian “Lynn” Glaze
Senate Commerce Committee list La. 2023
1.
R-Chairman /Mike Reese District 30
Leesville La.
DeQuincy La.
DeRidder La.
337-238-6435
[email protected]
2.
R-Vice Chair /Henry Cameron District 9
Metairie La.
504-838-5433
[email protected]
3.
R-Mark Abraham District 25
Lake Charles La.
337-475-3016
[email protected]
4.
R-Stewart Cathey Jr. District 33
Monroe, La.
318-582-5524
[email protected]
5.
R- Patrick Connick District 8
Marrero, La.
504-371-0240
[email protected]
6.
D- Cleo Fields District 14
Baton Rouge, La.
225-342-9514
[email protected]
7.
D-Jimmy Harris District 4
New Orleans, La.
504-286-1960
[email protected]
8.
R-John “Jay” Morris District 35
West Monroe, La.
318-362-4270
[email protected]
9.
R- Mack “Bodi” White District 6
Baton Rouge, La.
225-272-1324
[email protected]
I just watched this video and I’m just wondering why would they even consider cutting educational hours. I’m not a Cosmetologist but I’ve had many haircuts and different services done at different locations. So many don’t do a good job already and this will only hurt everyone involved. I’m just a Patron paying for services so I’m sure my opinion doesn’t count but this is horrible. Also, taking into consideration the Student loans these people will have and they may not be ready or able to get a job with their skills. 😔