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New Barbering/Cosmetology Policies to End Discrimination
The California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology has written new policies that spell out prohibitions on discrimination in enforcement functions and narrow the board’s role in inspections conducted jointly with other agencies. The changes stem from a series of raids conducted by board inspectors in conjunction with local police in April 2008 at barbershops owned and heavily patronized by African Americans. The settlement helps ensure that the board will limit its inspections to its mandate of administrative enforcement of health, safety and business codes, and will never use its inspection authority as a pretext to allow law enforcement agencies to conduct warrantless searches for criminal activity under the pretense of a joint inspection. The new policy also prohibits racial profiling in enforcement actions.
