JASON RANTZ

State Sen. Rivers: Controversial salon bill could be dead on arrival

Jan 29, 2019, 5:19 PM

Barber shop seattle salon bill washington...

(AP)

(AP)

The saga surrounding a proposed bill that would raise taxes for cosmetologists and barbers continues to drum up controversy, following impassioned testimony in front of the state Legislature on Monday. Now, a former supporter of the bill, Republican State Senator Ann Rivers, is speaking out against it.

RELATED: Legislature tried to sneak through devastating bill to local entrepreneurs

“What I heard from people across the board, was largely people saying ‘I’m a good business person,’ ‘I do this because I love it, because I want the flexibility,’ ‘I pay my taxes, I love my state,’ ‘I want to see things go in the right direction,’ [and] ‘this is a real slap in the face,'” Rivers told KTTH’s Jason Rantz.

Senate Bill 5326 has gone through a few iterations since it was first introduced. In its initial form, it only included cosmetologists, and made it illegal for a salon to rent out booths to stylists (a practice that’s the norm in the industry).

Amendments to the bill later included barbers as well, while axing the section that made it illegal to rent booths. In its current form, it mainly removes select exemptions for booth renters related to unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation, and B&O taxes.

On Monday, hundreds of barbers, stylists, and cosmetologists flooded the state Legislature to provide testimony on the bill, largely united against its passing.

“If the intent of this bill is to level the playing field, it may mean my family doesn’t eat, or have a home to live in,” said one Moses Lake stylist during Monday’s testimony. “I feel you have targeted us as an industry, predominantly female, and that is not okay.”

As for why Rivers originally supported the legislation — and why her name is actually on the bill as a cosponsor — for her, presenting a bill in the first place is the best way to suss out its viability.

RELATED: Seattle pushes tolling, bike lanes at own peril

“A bill gets brought forward, it gives us an opportunity to hear all of the concerns,” she noted. “Sometimes you have to put the legislation on the table and have a full vetting.”

Moving forward, she made it clear that she will not be voting in favor of the bill if it ever comes to that, but also posited that the odds of it moving out of the Labor and Commerce Committee are slim.

“I am in the camp that believes this bill probably won’t be leaving committee,” she said.

Jason Rantz on AM 770 KTTH
  • listen to jason rantzTune in to AM 770 KTTH weekdays at 3-7pm toThe Jason Rantz Show.

Jason Rantz Show

Jason Rantz

Image: The Stevens County Sheriff's Office says it recently received an odd call from a Sasquatch h...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: Sheriff’s office asked legality of hunting Sasquatch in Stevens County

A Sasquatch hunter had an interesting question for the Stevens County sheriff. Is it legal to hunt Sasquatch?

16 hours ago

Image: Children bike past Wilson Elementary in Spokane....

Jason Rantz

Rantz: ‘Racist’ Spokane elementary school’s ‘slaves and hobos’ ignites controversy

After a teacher told students they could dress as "slaves and hobos" for an event, the Spokane NAACP cried foul.

2 days ago

Images: At left, Bellevue Police Department Officer Kevin Bereta is seen in his uniform. At right, ...

Julia Dallas

Bellevue officer injured in VP Harris motorcade recalls road to reclaiming benefits

Bellevue Police Officer Kevin Bereta's life changed while he was on VP Kamala Harris' service detail during her visit to Washington.

2 days ago

permanent supportive housing...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: You’re being lied to about permanent supportive housing in Redmond

Redmond residents rightly push back against permanent supportive housing as a solution for the homeless, as Seattle media get in the way.

3 days ago

WA State Attorney General Bob Ferguson campaigning.  (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: On crime, Bob Ferguson campaign made its first massive blunder

The Bob Ferguson campaign wants you thinking his top priority is crime. His entire political history says otherwise.

4 days ago

Image: Jason Rantz of AM 770 KTTH is defending his honor against a partisan smear by The Stranger w...

Jason Rantz

Jason Rantz defends his honor against partisan smear by The Stranger

Charles Mudede smeared Jason Rantz in a blog post for the Stranger. It prompted a response from Rantz, who had to defend his own honor.

6 days ago

State Sen. Rivers: Controversial salon bill could be dead on arrival