A vintage barber chair.
A Vintage Barber Chair.

New bill will allow out-of-state barbers path to work in New Jersey

March 17, 2021
1 min read

TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce’s barber pilot program signed into law in 2019 would be expanded to professionals from states or countries that do not issue licenses under a bill released by the Assembly Regulated Professions Committee.

Under current law, the three-year pilot program applies only to barbers and hairstylists who possess a license from another state or country.

“Preventing a new resident of New Jersey from working and making a living could put their welfare in jeopardy. Many of these highly-skilled professionals have been cutting hair for years, but can’t produce a non-existent license from another country,” said DeCroce, who is a prime sponsor of the bill (A1256) that passed in committee today. “Expanding this successful pilot program to include more barbers is the right thing to do, especially given the economic crisis we are currently experiencing.”

As long as new residents apply for a license from the New Jersey Board of Cosmetology and meet state standards for cutting hair, they can receive a 120-day temporary license. If the applicant continues to meet the requirements of the pilot program and the application for issuance of a license remains pending, the temporary license could be extended.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.