Across the country, states are reevaluating professional licensing requirements — but in Oklahoma, the consequences might hit closer to home. Because when it comes to your haircut, your massage, or your teenager’s first brow wax, do you really want to roll the dice on untrained hands?
Imagine this: You step into a softly lit room, the air filled with calming scents of eucalyptus and lavender. Gentle music plays as you approach a familiar sight—a plush, heated massage table promising an hour of relaxation.
It’s July 2nd, 2025. But instead of the licensed massage therapist you booked, you’re introduced to Tony—a former construction worker who, as of yesterday, decided to pursue a new career. With no formal training or certification, Tony is now your massage therapist, thanks to recent changes in state regulations.
Sound ridiculous? It should. But it’s not as far-fetched as it sounds. After Governor Kevin Stitt vetoed House Bill 1030, the very existence of the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering hangs in the balance. If legislators don’t override that veto, licensing requirements for massage therapists, barbers, estheticians, nail techs, and cosmetologists could vanish overnight.
Why does that matter? Because licensing isn’t red tape — it’s protection.
Professionals in these fields are trained not just in technique but in safety, hygiene, infection control, and proper sanitation. They learn how to spot skin conditions, how to clean their tools, how to pre- vent cross-contamination, and how to avoid causing harm with everything from hot wax to razor blades.
Your haircut could come with a staph infection.
Licensing is what separates a trained professional from ‘Tony who watched a couple of YouTube videos.’
Licensed cosmetologist Shahala Miller put it bluntly: “Those of us that have worked hard and have maintained our careers have had extensive training in more than just ‘doing hair.’ It’s much more complex than that. I had to study diseases of the skin, let alone everything to do with the safety and care of the public. Our profession is the only one that allows human touch other than the medical field. What’s next? Will they do the same with medical licensing as well? Would anyone trust that?”
And here’s the thing — it’s not just about you. Removing licensing disproportionately affects lower-income communities, where people can’t afford to take risks on untrained providers. It removes the baseline of trust that every client deserves when someone is handling their body, their skin, or their hair.
Barbers, nail techs, and massage therapists already work hard to earn their place. They invest in training, exams, and continuing education.
If the board dissolves, it won’t just be Tony giving massages. It’ll be Tony opening a full-service spa in his garage. No inspection. No standards. No rules.
This isn’t about bureaucracy. It’s about the same common sense that tells you not to get your dentures made in the back of a trailer parked on Bureau of Land Management acreage. Some services require more than confidence and a Craigslist ad. They require training, regulation, and public trust.
So let’s not gamble with people’s health and safety.
Contact your legislators. Urge them to override the veto on HB 1030. Tell them we value our trained professionals and the standards that keep our families safe.
Here’s who to call in Beckham County:
• Senator Brent Howard (R-Altus) – (405) 521-5612 | [email protected]
• Representative Todd Russ (R-Cordell) – (405) 557-7312 | todd.russ@okhouse. gov Because your haircut, your massage, and your kid’s first trim shouldn’t come with a waiver form. And with all due respect to Tony — let’s keep him on drywall.
*No offense intended to real Tonys. We trust you. Mostly.*
