Stitt's veto of cosmetology board bill threatens public health, entrepreneurship
Oklahoma County and its cities, we cannot afford to sleep on Governor Stitt's veto of House Bill 1030, which threatens to eliminate the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology. This decision is more than just a blow to an industry. It is a direct threat to public health, safety, and entrepreneurship. The veto is irresponsible and must be overturned before it does irreversible damage to every Main Street in Oklahoma.
As a licensed cosmetologist and trichologist, and more importantly, a young mother who turned education into opportunity, I know firsthand what the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology has meant for people like me. Going to school, studying hard, and earning my license didn't just change my life. It gave me a future. It allowed me to open my own business, support my family, and become a mentor for others looking to follow a similar path. But most of all, it taught me that what we do is about more than beauty. It's about people — their health, their dignity, and their trust.
Some might argue that hair and nails don't need oversight, but they forget that we work with sharp tools, chemicals, and treatments that can damage skin, hair, and health if used improperly. Licensing ensures we are trained not only in style but in sanitation, sterilization, and safety. Without education and regulation, untrained individuals could unknowingly cause infections, injuries, or worse. This is not fearmongering. It is fact.
Our clients trust us with their appearance, yes, but also with their wellbeing. We touch the lives of everyday Oklahomans. Your grandmother who comes in for her weekly set, your son who needs a confidence boost before prom, your neighbor who is battling hair loss after cancer treatments. In the chair, we laugh, we cry, we heal. We may not take the Hippocratic Oath, but we live by its spirit: do no harm.
More: Oklahoma boards flouting the rules make our state look like a circus. Are lawmakers taking note?
The idea that the beauty industry no longer needs its own regulatory board, led by professionals who understand our tools, our ethics, and our responsibilities, is an insult to the 80,000 licensed barbers, estheticians, manicurists, instructors and school owners across this state. Would we allow non-doctors to oversee the Medical Licensure and Supervision Board? No. Then out of that same respect, why would we allow anyone other than licensed professionals to oversee an industry that directly impacts the health and hygiene of the public?
Gov. Stitt's veto of House Bill 1030 sends a dangerous message that proper training and safety standards don't matter. But they do. And every legislator in Oklahoma needs to hear from us, the professionals and the public, that we care.
I urge the Oklahoma Legislature to override this veto. It is not just about protecting a profession. It is about protecting the public. To do anything less would be to invite harm. And that is something no licensed professional should ever stand for.
Nina Chukwu is a licensed cosmetologist and trichologist and owner of Glory Hair and Restoration Center in Oklahoma City.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Why lawmakers must override Stitt's veto of cosmetology bill | Opinion
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