State Update – May 13

May 13, 2026

HEADLINES

• Oklahoma Sunset Bill Sent to Governor
• North Carolina Senate Passes Hour Reduction Bill
• Legislative Updates from Hawaii, Illinois, and South Carolina

THIS WEEK IN THE STATES

The current week finds 23 state legislatures actively meeting – including Florida meeting in special session May 12 to 29 to finalize the state’s FY 2026-27 budget. South Carolina’s legislature will be recessing on Thursday, May 14th, however legislators are however in the process of adopting a sine die resolution that will allow them to reconvene at the discretion of the Senate President and House Speaker to address specific matters, including budget-related bills, vetoes, redistricting, appointments, and certain resolutions, before a final adjournment no later than November 8, 2026.

The following five states scheduled to adjourn their respective 2026 state legislative sessions this or next week: Colorado (May 14); Missouri (May 15), Minnesota (May 18), Alaska (May 20), and; Arizona (May 22).  

Since the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais on April 29, 2026, which struck down Louisiana’s congressional map containing two majority-Black districts, Florida and Tennessee have finalized new Congressional boundaries for this year’s mid-term election that will net Republicans several additional seats. Legislators in Alabama and South Carolina are currently considering bills to reduce or eliminate Democratic U.S. House seats.

Additionally, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves (R) has announced a special legislative session next week that may redraw three state Supreme Court districts, along with Congressional and state House and Senate districts. According to the Clarion Ledger, the new maps “would almost definitely not be in effect for the upcoming midterm elections later this year, but voters would see new districts in time for the state legislature elections at the end of 2027.”

OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR CONSIDERS A STANDALONE COSMETOLOGY SUNSET BILL AFTER VETOING A SUNSET REFORM BILL

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Skitt vetoed HB 3320 last week. The House subsequently voted unanimously (92 to 0) to override the veto and has sent the bill to the Senate for a possible override vote. The measure would remove sunset dates from the Board of Cosmetology and Barbering and other occupation licensing entities, and instead, allow the legislature to place any statutory entity under a one-year sunset review process. 

Governor Stitt’s veto statement said, “House Bill 3320 would make permanent 39 boards and commissions instead of subjecting them to the regular evaluation and sunset processes. It should be a surprise to no one that I am for smaller government. As President Ronald Reagan famously said, ‘a government program is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth.’”

Representative Mike Osburn, a lead sponsor of the bill, condemned the governor's veto in a press release. He said, “The governor’s veto rejects a streamlined approach in favor of maintaining an arbitrary system and continues uncertainty surrounding the very boards and commissions that regulate critical services across our state.”

A separate standalone Board of Cosmetology and Barbering sunset extension bill – HB 3000 – received final legislative approval on Wednesday with a 79 to 10 House concurrence vote and has been transmitted to Governor Stitt. As previously reported, the enrolled bill would extend Board’s sunset from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2031, and modify the membership of the Board by requiring each of the 11 members to meet certain professional and geographic criteria. The measure would also require all licenses issued under the Board’s authority to be issued by Service Oklahoma – the state agency that issues driver’s licenses.

Why this is important: Oklahoma must enact HB 3000 or HB 3320 for Board of Cosmetology and Barbering oversight to continue beyond July 1, 2026. Senate amendments to SB 3000 were designed to address Governor Stitt’s previously enumerated concerns with the Board. They would retain the Cosmetology and Barbering Board as a regulatory and enforcement entity, while Service Oklahoma will become the “customer service” entity for beauty industry professionals seeking to obtain or renew a license.

NORTH CAROLINA SENATE PASSES HOUR REDUCTION BILL

North Carolina’s Senate voted 29 to 15 last week to pass North Carolina SB 808. The bill would reduce the course of instruction for cosmetology from 1,500 to 1,200 hours; establish a 900-hour hair design license; allow hair designers to stack esthetician and manicurist licenses by completing 300 and 100 hours, respectively; eliminate apprenticeship licensure, and; reduce the course of instruction required for cosmetology teachers from 800 to 500 hours. It would also reduce the annual continuing education requirement from 8 to 4 hours and replace the 300-hour natural hair care specialist license with a 10-hour infection control certification.

SB 808 is currently in the House Rules, Calendar, and Operations Committee.

Why this is important: The North Carolina House Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House is the gatekeeper of the General Assembly. Because North Carolina’s legislative process is highly centralized, this committee holds immense power over which bills live, die, or move to the floor.

AACS will be conducting a Zoom meeting on Friday afternoon with North Carolina schools to discuss possible House amendments and legislative advocacy strategies. Please contact AACS at StateGR@myaacs.org for additional information. 

SOUTH CAROLINA COMMITTEE SEVERS LICENSING PROVISIONS FROM BILL

The South Carolina Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee voted last week to sever licensure provisions that would increase the course of instruction for esthetics from 450 to 600 hours and establish a 1,100-hour hair design license from H4752. The amended bill would combine the state’s separate cosmetology and barbering boards.

The bill remains in the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee as it has not yet been officially reported to the Senate floor.

Why this is important: South Carolina’s legislature is expected to recess on Thursday, May 14, 2026. Without an amended sine die resolution, the legislature may only return to Columbia after this date to address the state budget, vetoes, redistricting, appointments, and administrative tasks.  

BRIEFLY NOTED

A conference committee reconciled House and Senate versions of Hawaii SB 2876 last week. The bill headed to Governor Josh Green, M.D. (D) would require natural hair braiders, effective January 1, 2028, to be registered, rather than licensed, under the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology; and require the Board to adopt regulations for courses that cover sanitation, health, and the safety practices required for natural hair braiding.



An Illinois apprenticeship bill – HB 3460 – is nearing final passage after the Senate Licensed Activities Committee voted unanimously last week to send the measure to the Senate floor. HB 3460 would make professions regulated by the state’s Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act apprenticeable at double the course of instruction at a school and require apprentices to be compensated at least minimum wage.  

BILL ENACTMENT

Maryland HB 1025 – Effective October 1, 2026

This bill repeals the option for eyelash extension limited license applicants to qualify for a licensure by only passing a practical and written examination administered by the State Board of Cosmetologists. Accordingly, applicants must complete a three-month apprenticeship or 100 hours of eyelash extension instruction at a cosmetology school and pass a licensure examination.  

UPCOMING REGULATORY HEARING

May 28, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. (CDT) – South Dakota Cosmetology Commission Rulemaking Hearing

Due to the enactment of HB 1194 in March, the state’s Cosmetology Commission is amending regulations to allow them to apply relevant work experience toward education hours for out-of-state applicants who have cosmetology related licenses that are not equivalent to licenses issued by the Commission.