This article was originally published in the Southern California News Group.
In the recently published book “Over Ruled,” Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and his co-author Janie Nitze highlight several examples of instances where states and the federal government go too far in regulating our day-to-day lives as Americans.
One glaring example highlighted in the book is the case of hair braiding licensing. For many years, aspiring hair braiders were required to complete unnecessary education and training to be legally authorized to work.
Today, most states have implemented reforms and made it easier for hair braiders to work (Hawaii, New Mexico, and Wyoming are key exceptions). Although regulatory reform for hair braiders is important progress, not all news is as promising. And some states seem to be doing a poorer job of reigning in occupational licensing than others.