CROWN Act Coronated By Senate Committee

HB-1048 now heads to the Committee of the Whole

Denver, CO – Today the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs committee advanced the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2020 — or the CROWN Act — to prohibit discrimination based on race as it pertains to hair texture, type and style.

“This kind of legislation is long overdue. When I think about African Americans and our hairstyles, we go through a variety of different measures to sometimes straighten our hair, because stereotypes say straight hair may look more professional," said Sen. Rhonda Fields. "Over the course of my professional life, I've had to straighten my hair in order to fit in. We should be able to wear our hair any way we want to and not be discriminated against."

HB-1048 protects against discrimination based on hair types and styles, including locs, cornrows, twists, braids, curls, knots, headwraps and Afros. Discrimination can and does occur because of longstanding racial biases and stereotypes associated with hair texture and hairstyles, while people of African, Native, Jewish and Latino/a descent are denied educational and employment opportunities due to natural or protective hairstyles.

The bill passed on a 3-1 vote and now heads to the committee of the whole. Learn more here.