Legal and Legislation Updates
CROWN Act Protects Against Discrimination on Basis of Hair
In January, Governor Tim Walz signed the bill referred to as Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair or the CROWN Act into law.1 The Minnesota Department of Human Rights explained that the CROWN Act is intended to protect against discrimination based on race-based natural hair textures and styles under the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA).
The new law adds a definition of race to the MHRA stating that “race” includes “traits associated with race, including but not limited to hair texture and hair styles such as braids, locs, and twists.” A number of other states have passed similar laws.2
More Than Hair Discrimination
It should be noted that the CROWN Act may cover more than just hair discrimination. The new definition prohibits discrimination based on “traits associated with race,” which includes but is not limited to hair texture and style.
The Act does not define what “traits associated with race” in addition to hair texture and style may be covered. This is something that may be determined by the courts in the future.
The CROWN Act applies anywhere the Minnesota Human Rights Act applies, including in employment, public services and housing. Policies can still be adopted for workplace health and safety standards, such as requiring hair to be tied up or in a net, but the policies must be neutral and apply equally to all hair textures and styles.
Review Policies
MCIT recommends that members review their existing policies, including dress code and anti-discrimination policies, to ensure that they do not unduly prohibit certain hairstyles and that they are broad enough to prevent discrimination based on traits associated with race, including hair textures and styles such as braids, locs and twists.
More information about the new law can be found in the Preventing Hair Discrimination fact sheet on the Minnesota Department of Human Rights website.