Damaged hair falls to the salon floor.
The scalp burns. There is recourse. Although board members are trying to win a legislative reprieve, the Barbering and Cosmetology Board is scheduled to expire in July. As part of a cost-cutting maneuver by Gov. Pete Wilson and the Legislature, cosmetic licensing and enforcement responsibilities will be swallowed up by the Department of Consumer Affairs, the umbrella agency under which the Barbering and Cosmetology Board previously operated. Good riddance, says Donna Matias, a Washington, D.C., lawyer representing hair-braiders suing the barbering board for unfair licensing requirements.