What's happening
This bill prohibits race discrimination based on natural hair texture and protective hairstyles like braids, locks, and twists.
Why it matters
Expands legal definitions of "race". in both executive and education law to explicitly include hair texture and protective hairstyles, making it easier to challenge policies or actions that target these traits as discriminatory.
Provides clearer legal protection for cultural expression. , especially for Black and other minority communities, by recognizing that natural hair and protective hairstyles are closely tied to racial identity and heritage.
Impacts workplaces, schools, and public spaces. by requiring them to review and potentially change grooming or dress codes that could disproportionately target or disadvantage people based on their natural hair or chosen protective styles.
Addresses a gap in anti-discrimination law. that previously left individuals vulnerable to discipline, exclusion, or bias for wearing hairstyles like braids, locks, and twists, which are now specifically protected.
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Who cares
People with natural hair or protective hairstyles
The bill would explicitly include hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists in the definition of race under the specified Executive Law and Education Law articles.
Employers and human resources staff
The expanded Executive Law definition would make race discrimination protections expressly cover historically race-associated hair traits, affecting workplace grooming policies.
Students and school administrators
The Education Law amendment would expressly include hair texture and protective hairstyles in race-based protections, affecting how schools address hair-related discrimination.
Headline styles
Ban Hair Discrimination
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Signed chap.95
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.657
- Substituted for A7797A
- Referred to governmental operations
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 46–16
- Ordered to third reading cal.1438
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Print number 6209a
Show 2 earlier actions
- Amend and recommit to investigations and government operations
- Referred to investigations and government 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
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Tremaine Wright
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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law and the education law, in relation to prohibiting race discrimination based on natural hairstyles
Purpose or general idea
This bill will prohibit race discrimination based on natural hair or hairstyles.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the Executive law is amended by defining the term "race" and "protective hairstyles" but not limited to, ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, and ethnic background, and shall include traits historically associates with race, including but limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists.
§ 2. Section 11 of the Education law is amended by adding two new subdi- visions 9 and 10.
Justification
In February of this year, The New York City Commission on Human Rights released their Legal Enforcement Guidance on Race Discrimination on the Basis of Hair. In this guidance they classify such restrictions in work- places, schools and public places as racial discrimination. Their guidelines point specifically to the rights of people to maintain their "natural hair, treated or untreated hairstyles such as loos, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, fades, Afros, and/or the right to keep hair in an uncut or untrimmed state."
Here are just a few stories of hair discrimination that have been in the news:
-A high school wrestler was forced to cut his hair or forfeit a wrestl- ing match in New Jersey.
-A 6-year-old boy in Florida was turned away from a private Christian academy on his first day of school because his hair extended below his ears.
-And a New Orleans-area girl was sent home at the start of the school year from a Catholic school for wearing braids.
Prior legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
To Be Determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.