The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Alabama exempts natural hair styling and braiding from board licensing requirements
Last action · April 16, 2026: EnactedSponsor: Merika Coleman
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
Natural hair stylists and facilities where only is practiced are no longer required to hold a license from the Alabama Board of and Barbering, effective October 1, 2026. The act removes braiding and weaving hair from the definition of cosmetology and allows individuals and public high school career and technical education students to obtain a voluntary license.
Lowers regulatory and training barriers for individuals practicing and operating specialty facilities in Alabama by removing mandatory licensure requirements while preserving an option for voluntary certification.
- The Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering regulates licensing, safety standards, and school operations for beauty and grooming professions across the state. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Natural hair stylists
Natural hair stylists are no longer required to obtain a mandatory board license to practice for compensation.
Natural hair styling facilities
Facilities where only natural hair styling is practiced are exempt from mandatory board licensing requirements.
Public high school career and technical education students
Students enrolled in high school cosmetology programs are explicitly permitted to acquire a voluntary natural hairstylist license.
Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering
The board's regulatory scope is narrowed by removing mandatory licensing and definition oversight for natural hair styling and braiding.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do natural hair stylists need a license to practice in Alabama under this act?
Can someone still get a natural hairstylist license if they want one?
When does this exemption take effect?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Became law.
Procedural history
22 actions- Apr 16, 2026SenateEnrolledEnacted
- Apr 8, 2026SenateEnrolledDelivered to Governor
- Apr 8, 2026HouseSignature Requested
- Apr 8, 2026SenateEnrolled
- Apr 8, 2026SenateReady to Enroll
- Apr 7, 2026SenateColman Motion to Concur In and Adopt House Amendment - Adopted Roll Call 1220
Show 16 earlier actions
- Apr 7, 2026HouseFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1201
- Apr 7, 2026HouseMotion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1200
- Apr 7, 2026HouseDrummond 1st Amendment Offered
- Apr 7, 2026HouseThird Reading in Second House
- Feb 19, 2026HouseRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Feb 18, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Out of Committee Second House
- Feb 12, 2026HouseCommitteePending Committee Action in Second House
- Feb 12, 2026HouseIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Boards, Agencies and Commissions
- Feb 10, 2026SenateFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 340
- Feb 10, 2026SenateThird Reading in House of Origin
- Feb 5, 2026SenateRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Feb 4, 2026SenateCommitteeReported Out of Committee House of Origin
- Jan 27, 2026SenateCommitteeRe-referred to Committee in House of Origin
- Jan 27, 2026SenateCommitteeReported Out of Committee House of Origin
- Jan 20, 2026SenateCommitteePending Committee Action in House of Origin
- Jan 20, 2026SenateIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Healthcare
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
alison.legislature.state.al.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools