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What I’ve Been Reading This Week: The CROWN Act Edition


The Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair Act (also known as the “CROWN Act”) is a law that originated in California which prohibits discrimination based upon the natural hairstyle or hair texture of employees or job applicants.  California, which became the first state to approve such a measure, has been followed with similar laws across the country including in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Colorado, Washington, and Maryland.  Despite the U.S. House of Representatives approving legislation last year at the federal level, that proposal failed to advance in the Senate.

With that being said, there have been a few new developments in regard to the CROWN Act across the country in recent weeks.  Based upon those developments, this week is as good of a time as any to focus on a few noteworthy stories in relation to the CROWN Act.

As always, below are a couple articles that caught my eye this week.


Dartmouth Students Voice Support For New Hampshire’s Passage of CROWN Act

Last Wednesday, four Dartmouth students testified before the New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee and voiced their support for HB 359, CROWN Act legislation currently pending in the New Hampshire legislature.  HB 359, which was introduced last fall, appears to have been well received so far.  Whether that will result in the passage of the CROWN Act in the state remains to be seen.  Stay tuned,


Pittsburgh Mayor Under Fire For Proposed Change to City’s CROWN Act

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto signed the CROWN Act into law for the city last October.  The language of that legislation protects hair texture, length, “protective or cultural hairstyles”, “natural hairstyles”, as ell as “other forms of hair presentation.”  A problem has arisen as to that last provision of the city’s CROWN Act:  A police officer in the city wants to have a beard, something his bosses apparently oppose.  (The city’s police bureau policy requires its officers to be clean shaven.). Mayor Peduto, who boasts a beard of his own, now wants to amend the CROWN Act to clarify that it does not extend to hair on chin or lips...  As this editorial from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette points out, the Mayor has come under intense criticism for this planned revision to the city’s CROWN Act.


CROWN Act Advocates in Connecticut Get Second Bite at the Apple

Michael Hamad at The Hartford Courant wrote a recent article in which he pointed out that the Connecticut Legislature will be debating (and likely voting) on the CROWN Act this legislative session.  For those unfamiliar with the advancement of this legislation in the state, a similar bill was introduced last year and managed to get voted out of committee before being sidelined when the coronavirus pandemic took over.  However, Representative Robyn Porter has reintroduced the legislation this year which, if passed, would make Connecticut the eighth state to pass such a law.  This is one to keep an eye on in the months ahead.  If I had to bet, I would expect this legislation to become law sooner rather than later.


CROWN Act Advances in Delaware

Late last month, the Delaware Senate unanimously approved the CROWN Act and advanced the legislation to the Delaware House for further debate and a likely vote.  The legislation, SB 32, was just introduced on January 12, 2021 but has already been fast tracked through the State Legislature (taking only about two weeks to clear the Senate.)  As with the legislation currently pending in Connecticut, I would expect the CROWN Act to become law in Delaware sooner rather than later.

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