Lawmakers are squaring off over how much training workers in certain industries need before landing a job in our state.
Some including Governor Pete Ricketts say the training now is too excessive.
Tuesday was a busy day at Capitol School of Hair and Esthetics as students work on real life models before working in saloons across the metro. A proposed bill would cut hours.
“It would basically shortchange our students on the amount of education that they are getting,” said Skylar McCaig with admissions at Capitol.
Here’s a part of what LB 343 would do, a 600 hour reduction in barbers, a 500 hour cut for massage therapists and the hours for nail technicians is currently 300 hours that would drop to 200 hours.
“So they will probably only do about two live models and then go into the salon it’s kind of a scary thought,” said Pam Rowland, nail tech instructor at the College of Nail Design.
Buddy Sims is a licensed nail technician said without the proper knowledge of handling some of the chemicals, and products it could lead to an unsanitary workspace.
“We are the cream of the crop so we don’t see any reason to potentially put the public at risk, to bring our standards down,” said Sims.
However the Platte Institute who backs this bill said there are too many obstacles for students to go through and this would create more jobs.
“This is low-hanging fruit, that enables Nebraskans, small business owners, to reduce the barriers that will allow them to enter the workforce,” said Jim Vokal, executive director of the Platte Institute.
A workforce with employees Vokal said can leave to another state with lower standards.
“Why would you want to start in Nebraska when you can start in a neighboring state that has more reasonable amount of hours to obtain that license,” said Vokal.
“It wouldn’t be enough time and experience on actual clients,” said student Sabrina Paskevic.
The 7 main professions this would impact are: Nail Technician, Massage Therapist, Electrologist, Audiologist, Barber, Cosmetologist, Esthetician.
To read the bill click here: http://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/105/PDF/Intro/LB343.pdf
There's also a petition to stop this bill from becoming law:https://www.change.org/p/merv-riepe-take-barbering-cosmetology-nail-technology-aesthetics-massage-out-of-lb-343-in-nebr
Those for this bill also have a petition: http://strongjobsnebraska.org/get-involved/
