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Nebraska Governor Signs CROWN Act Into Law

 

A year after vetoing similar legislation, on May 5, 2021, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts signed LB 451 into law, the state’s CROWN Act (“Act”) legislation.

The Act, as written, will make it unlawful for employers in the state to discriminate against a worker on the basis of their natural hairstyle which includes braids, locks, and twists.  In passing the legislation, Nebraska joins California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and Virginia with similar CROWN Act laws in place.

In 2020, Governor Ricketts vetoed the legislation on the grounds that he wanted the Act to include language that did not exclude other races, which he said also wear protective hairstyles.  LB 451 incorporated that requested revision which ultimately led to the Governor signing it into law.  The Act is set to take effect 60 days after the Nebraska Legislature ends its term which is set to end around June 10th.


For additional information:  https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=43705

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