COLUMBIA - Gov. Mark Sanford on Monday vetoed a bill that would have required hair braiders to complete 60 hours of training as opposed to the 1,500 hours currently required by law.

Many braiders have said they don't want training that intense. Hair braiders have argued the service, which is popular in tourist areas, should not require licensing.

Sanford said having the state impose either requirement is "absurd" when compared to other licensing requirements enforced by the state.

"What we're ultimately dealing with here is a bill that's designed to protect the financial interest of folks in the cosmetology industry, not the safety of people getting their hair braided," Sanford said. "It's utterly ridiculous for us as a state to say that you only need eight hours of training to carry a concealed handgun, but for some reason you need 60 hours of training to braid hair."

The state Board of Cosmetology had supported about 300 hours of training, which is equal to the requirement for nail technicians, said chairwoman Pat Adams. That was rejected by legislators for the 60 hours.

The 1,500 hours -- which includes training in areas such as coloring, perming and relaxing hair -- will earn braiders a cosmetology license.

Sanford said he was disappointed the hair braiding regulations were tacked onto pharmacy legislation that would have made it easier for consumers to transfer prescriptions.

The governor was joined at the veto announcement by state Reps. Alan Clemmons, R-Myrtle Beach, and Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, who said they planned to file a new pharmacy bill as well as a bill on hair braiding requirements.