The Braid Report
Hair news, fact-checked
New Jersey Now Requires Textured Hair Training for Beauty Licenses
New Jersey's S2495/A3882, signed January 12, 2026, requires cosmetology, barbering and braiding students to train and test on textured hair. Here is what it requires, which states have similar laws, and what it means...
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The CROWN Act in 2026: Where Hair Discrimination Laws Stand
About 30 states now ban hair discrimination in some form, the federal CROWN Act is stalled in committee, and California has expanded...
California braiders: what the law actually says
California has exempted natural hair braiding from cosmetology licensing since 2000, but cutting, color, chemicals and washing still need a license. Here...
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