What's happening
This bill prohibits race discrimination based on natural hairstyles, including braids, locks, and twists, in New York.
Why it matters
Explicitly defines "race" in state law. to include not just skin color but also traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles. This provides a legal basis to challenge discrimination linked to these traits.
Protective hairstyles like braids, locks, and twists are named. as protected traits, which directly responds to real-world situations where Black and other minority individuals have faced bias or discipline in workplaces and schools for wearing such styles.
Amends both employment and education laws,. ensuring that the prohibition against hair-based discrimination applies broadly—from hiring and workplace practices to school policies affecting students and staff.
Signals a wider cultural and legal recognition. that personal appearance, especially as it relates to racial identity, is a civil rights issue, potentially influencing how other states and institutions address similar forms of discrimination.
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Who cares
People with natural hair or protective hairstyles
The bill would explicitly include hair texture and protective hairstyles, including braids, locks and twists, in the definition of race under the affected laws.
Employers
The expanded Executive Law definition would make discrimination based on these race-associated hair traits a form of race discrimination.
Students and school administrators
The bill would add the same protections to the Education Law by defining race to include hair texture and protective hairstyles.
Headline styles
Ban Hair Discrimination
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
34 Co-sponsors
- Crystal Peoples-Stokes
- Carmen De La Rosa
- Nader Sayegh
- Karines Reyes
- Jo Anne Simon
- Yuh-Line Niou
- Richard Gottfried
- Nathalia Fernandez
- Daniel O'Donnell
- Anthony D'Urso
- Kimberly Jean-Pierre
- Mathylde Frontus
- Linda Rosenthal
- Harvey Epstein
- Ellen C. Jaffee
- Inez E. Dickens
- Victor M. Pichardo
- Deborah Glick
- Latoya Joyner
- Charles Barron
- Vivian Cook
- Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
- Alicia Hyndman
- Jaime R. Williams
- Pamela J. Hunter
- Diana Richardson
- Latrice Walker
- Michaelle C. Solages
- Catalina Cruz
- Michael Blake
- Walter T. Mosley
- Taylor Darling
- Al Taylor
- N. Nick Perry
History
- Substituted by S6209A
- Rules report cal.657
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reference changed to codes
- Print number 7797a
- Amend and recommit to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Hair Discrimination
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Jamaal Bailey
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 6209--A A. 7797--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
May 23, 2019
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sens. BAILEY, SALAZAR -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. WRIGHT, PEOPLES-STOKES, DE LA ROSA, SAYEGH, REYES, SIMON, NIOU, GOTTFRIED, FERNANDEZ, O'DONNELL, D'URSO, JEAN-PIERRE, FRONTUS, L. ROSENTHAL, EPSTEIN, JAFFEE, DICKENS -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the executive law and the education law, in relation to prohibiting race discrimination based on natural hairstyles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 292 of the executive law is amended by adding two new subdivisions 37 and 38 to read as follows:
37. The term "race" shall, for the purposes of this article include traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles.
38. The term "protective hairstyles" shall include, but not be limited to, such hairstyles as braids, locks, and twists.
§ 2. Section 11 of the education law is amended by adding two new subdivisions 9 and 10 to read as follows:
9. "Race" shall, for the purposes of this article include traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles.
10. "Protective hairstyles" shall include, but not be limited to, such hairstyles as braids, locks, and twists.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11450-02-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.