Black Hair Bias Laws Spread, Including in Handful of Red States

The days of employers treating Black hairstyles and textures as unprofessional could be coming to an end, as laws banning race-related hair discrimination spread rapidly among states and a federal proposal awaits Senate action.

Massachusetts became the latest state to enact a version of the CROWN Act with Gov. Charlie Baker’s (R) signature on July 26. California and New York first passed the measure only three years ago, and now 18 states have adopted it or similar bans on hair bias, with another awaiting the Alaska governor’s signature. Recent adopters include Louisiana, where the state’s newly expanded bias law takes ...