Massachusetts Governor Healey Biffs ‘Freaking’ Barber Pole Law

Ah, the power of a governor. The things the chief executive can endeavor to advance society are nearly limitless.

Take, for example, the barber pole. Just like that, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has biffed a state regulation requiring a barber pole at every barber shop in the Commonwealth.

Change is in the air.

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Believe it or not, Massachusetts has a law (240 CMR 8.00: Barber Regulations Sec. 8.01) that states, "Every barber shop open to the public shall conspicuously display a sign and a barber pole or a barber pole decal, indicating it is a barber shop."

The Razors Barber Shop website says, "It is often forgotten that the barbers of the past were not just there to cut hair and shave beards, they also performed minor surgeries, dentistry, and tasks such as bloodletting."

The site says, "The original barber's pole has a brass ball at its top, representing the vessel in which the leeches (for bloodletting) were kept/ and/or the basin which received the patient's blood."

Hang on, it gets better.

"The pole itself represents the rod which the patient held tightly during the bloodletting procedure to show the barber where the veins were located," according to the site. "The red and white stripes represent the bloodied and clean bandages used during the procedure."

In announcing the end of the barber pole regulation, State House News Service reported that Healey said, "Who doesn't love the striped pole outside a barber shop? Right? Super cool."

"State law required a barber shop to actually hang a freaking pole right outside," she said. "Which might be wonderful, it does attract, it's nice. But like really? There was a state requirement?"

Eliminating the barber pole requirement was one of several dozen dated regulations reformed by the governor.