Police Raids and Occupational Licensing: Coming to a State Near You

State and Local Government | November 8, 2010

By David Stokes | Read Time 1 minute

Here is something I hope we never see in Missouri: Police raids to arrest unlicensed barbers in Florida and California. Drudge links to the story out of Florida, where the police used unlicensed barbering as an excuse to check for other illegal activities. Some barbers were actually arrested for not having a license, which brings to mind Ulysses Everett McGill doing his time in jail for practicing law without a license.

This is the perfect segue to note that I will be appearing on the Bernie Hayes show on WGNU 920 AM in St. Louis tomorrow morning at 7:00 to discuss occupational licensing. I will be appearing with Dave Roland to talk about the issue of licensing those who provide African hair braiding in Missouri. Please listen in if you can.

About the Author

David Stokes

David Stokes is a St. Louis native and a graduate of Saint Louis University High School and Fairfield (Conn.) University. He spent six years as a political aide at the St. Louis County Council before joining the Show-Me Institute in 2007. Stokes was a policy analyst at the Show-Me Institute from 2007 to 2016. From 2016 through 2020 he was Executive Director of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, where he led efforts to oppose harmful floodplain developments done with abusive tax subsidies. Stokes rejoined the Institute in early 2021 as the Director of Municipal Policy. He is a past president of the University City Library Board. He served on the St. Louis County 2010 Council Redistricting Commission and was the 2012 representative to the Electoral College from Missouri’s First Congressional District. He lives in University City with his wife and their three children.

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