State Sen. Norman W. Sanderson is proposing a bill that seeks to deregulate natural hair care and revise licensing rules for cosmetic professionals in North Carolina, the North Carolina State Senate reported.
Filed as SB 808 on April 21 during the 2025 regular session, the legislation is officially titled ‘Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners Amendments.’
Here is an overview based on the actual bill text, which may clarify its stipulations.
SB 808 would significantly modify North Carolina’s cosmetic art laws by deregulating natural hair care, establishing a hair designer license, and lessening required education and training. It reduces required cosmetology instruction from 1,500 to 1,200 hours, decreases teacher training hours, and cuts annual continuing education from eight to four hours while broadening exemptions for experienced practitioners. The bill replaces the licensing requirement for natural hair care specialists with an infection control certification connected to a free 10-hour course, provides options for temporary permits and reciprocity for hair designers, eliminates the apprentice license, and converts current apprentices to licensed cosmetologists. Updates also include changes to fees, display requirements, enforcement, and references to barbering. These licensing changes would largely go into effect Oct. 1, 2026.
Of three sponsors on this bill, Timothy D. Moffitt put forth the highest number of bills (73) during the 2025 regular session.
North Carolina bills advance through a multi-step lawmaking process. Each bill is filed by a legislator, assigned to committee for study, then read three times in both chambers. Any amendments after passage require both chambers to agree on final language. Once passed by both chambers, the measure goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or up to 30 if the legislature is not in session) to approve, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature.
Sanderson earned a BA from Logos University in 2002.
Sanderson, a Republican, was elected in 2025 to represent North Carolina’s 2nd Senate district, succeeding Bob Brinson.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norman W. Sanderson, Amy S. Galey, and Timothy D. Moffitt | SB 808 | 04/21/2026 | Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners Amendments. |
| Norman W. Sanderson, Buck Newton, and Lisa S. Barnes | SB 478 | 03/25/2025 | Enhancing Ag. Opportunities in Rural NC. |
| Norman W. Sanderson | SB 496 | 03/25/2025 | Funds For Coastal Federation. |
| Norman W. Sanderson | SB 498 | 03/25/2025 | Funds for Beaufort’s Boat Docks. |
| Norman W. Sanderson | SB 500 | 03/25/2025 | New Health and DSS Building. |
| Norman W. Sanderson | SB 501 | 03/25/2025 | Funds for TEAPOT Project. |
| Norman W. Sanderson | SB 502 | 03/25/2025 | Cape Carteret Capital Funds. |
| Norman W. Sanderson, Bobby Hanig, and Kevin Corbin | SB 540 | 03/25/2025 | Increase Small County Funding. |
| Norman W. Sanderson, Brent Jackson, and Lisa S. Barnes | SB 639 | 03/25/2025 | North Carolina Farm Act of 2025. |
| Norman W. Sanderson and Bobby Hanig | SB 665 | 03/25/2025 | Upland Basin Permitting Reform. |
| Norman W. Sanderson, Bobby Hanig, and Michael A. Lazzara | SB 734 | 03/25/2025 | Clarifying Estuarine Waters AEC Under CAMA. |
| Norman W. Sanderson | SB 739 | 03/25/2025 | Funds for Oyster Farming. |
| Norman W. Sanderson | SB 748 | 03/25/2025 | Teach Critical Thinking in Elementary. |
| Norman W. Sanderson and Buck Newton | SB 299 | 03/17/2025 | Government Transparency Act of 2025. |
| Norman W. Sanderson, Amy S. Galey, and Bobby Hanig | SB 300 | 03/17/2025 | NC REACH Act. |
| Norman W. Sanderson | SB 67 | 02/10/2025 | 2nd Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
