New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a press conference at One World Trade Center on June 15, 2021 in New York City.
(Picture: Getty Images)New York Governor Andrew Cuomo just passed an interesting bill— ending a ban on barbershops operating on Sundays.
On Tuesday, Rich Azzopardi, the Director of Communications & Senior Advisor to Cuomo, took to his Twitter to make the announcement.
“NEWS: @NYGovCuomo just signed a bill repealing a prohibition on barbering on a Sunday. Yup, that was a thing, but not anymore,” he said.
NEWS: @NYGovCuomo just signed a bill repealing a prohibition on barbering on a Sunday. Yup, that was a thing, but not any more.
— Rich Azzopardi (@RichAzzopardi) July 13, 2021
Cuomo also took to his Twitter to talk about the repeal in a pun-filled way.
“An archaic law that made it a misdemeanor to cut hair on Sundays has been shaved from the books... It’s not splitting hairs to say that barbers should be able to work any day they want, “ he wrote, in part.
An archaic law that made it a misdemeanor to cut hair on Sundays has been shaved from the books.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 13, 2021
Though rarely enforced, the law was shear madness—and we’re not feeling blue to see it go.
It’s not splitting hairs to say that barbers should be able to work any day they want. https://t.co/TJ320sLcWX
People in the comments were taken aback as to how a law like this could even exist.
“Could you imagine the look on our Gov’s face when this came across his desk? Priceless! How was this even a thing?!” someone wrote.
“I literally never understood why they were all closed on Sundays! And now I know - and equally, now they won’t be :-D,” another person added.
A third admitted that they haven’t been subject to this law, saying, “I’ve been getting my haircuts on Sundays.”
In response to someone asking if the law was ever enforced, Azzopardi responded with the following: “Rarely. That said, it was always tough around here to find an open barbershop on a Sunday.”
Check out some other reactions to the bill.
File under: today I learned. https://t.co/qIlF462JRh
— Jack Sterne (@JRSterne) July 13, 2021
I always wondered why my barber shop was closed on Sunday’s. https://t.co/ElGbgCE7dW
— Myles N. Miller (@MylesMill) July 13, 2021
New York is so weird https://t.co/6uu4RmQ9yX
— tom (@gambolloch) July 13, 2021
FREEDOM!!!!!! https://t.co/VsJ2vFbnTH
— (((TheFaust))) (@FaustMN) July 13, 2021
WTF now I like Cuomo https://t.co/4kfDrDJqjj
— Lawyer Cat* (@LawyerCat_) July 13, 2021
Lots of arcane laws are out there. In Pittsford we have a code that allows fish peddlers to operate without a license.
— Stephanie Townsend (@Steph_Pittsford) July 13, 2021
But as we update our land use codes we will be looking to clean up our general laws as well.
Good government pays attention to the details. https://t.co/uovTgzPkxX
The original bill, which was under section 16 of the General Business Consolidated Laws in the NY State Senate, “Any person who carries on or engages in the business of shaving, hair cutting or other work of a barber on the first day of the week, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than five dollars.”
If someone receives a second conviction, then they can be fined no less than $10 and not more than $25, “or be imprisoned in the county jail for a period of not less than ten days, nor more than twenty-five days.”
