Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 514 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/15/23 H3/27/23 1
94th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2023 HOUSE BILL 1576 3
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By: Representative Scott 5
By: Senator B. Davis 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE CREATING A RESPE CTFUL AND 9
OPEN WORLD FOR NATUR AL HAIR (CROWN) ACT; TO PROHIBIT 10
DISCRIMINATION BASED UPON NATURAL, PROTEC TIVE, OR 11
CULTURAL HAIRSTYLE I N PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND IN STATE-12
SUPPORTED TWO-YEAR OR FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS OF 13
HIGHER EDUCATION; TO ADD DEFINITIONS TO T HE ARKANSAS 14
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1993; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 15
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Subtitle 18
TO ESTABLISH THE CREATING A RESPECTFUL 19
AND OPEN WORLD FOR NATURAL HAIR (CROWN) 20
ACT. 21
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 24
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SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Title. 26
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Creating a Respectful 27
and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act". 28
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 10, is amended to add an 30
additional section to read as follows: 31
6-10-137. Discrimination based on natural, protective, or cultural 32
hairstyle in public schools prohibited - Definition. 33
(a) As used in this section, "natural, protective, or cultural 34
hairstyle" includes without limitation afros, dreadlocks, twists, locs, 35
braids, cornrow braids, Bantu knots, curls, and hair styled to protect hair 36 As Engrossed: H3/15/23 H3/27/23 HB1576
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texture or for cultural significance. 1
(b) A school district administrator, board member, teach er, or other 2
employee shall not discriminate against a student based upon the student's 3
natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle. 4
(c) The Division of Youth Services is exempt from this section. 5
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SECTION 3. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 61, Subchapte r 1, is amended 7
to add an additional section to read as follows: 8
6-61-142. Discrimination based on natural, protective, or cultural 9
hairstyle in higher education prohibited - Definition. 10
(a) As used in this section, "natural, protective, or cultural 11
hairstyle" includes without limitation afros, dreadlocks, twists, locs, 12
braids, cornrow braids, Bantu knots, curls, and hair styled to protect hair 13
texture or for cultural significance. 14
(b) A state-supported two-year or four-year institution of higher 15
education shall not discriminate against a student based upon the student's 16
natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle. 17
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SECTION 4. Arkansas Code ยง 16 -123-102, concerning definitions within 19
the Arkansas Civil Rights Act of 1993, is amended to add additional 20
subdivisions to read as follows: 21
(9) "Because of national origin" includes without limitation on 22
account of a natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle; 23
(10) "Because of race" includes without limitation on account of 24
a natural, protective, or cultu ral hairstyle; 25
(11) "Ethnic animosity" includes without limitation on account 26
of a natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle; 27
(12) "Natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle" includes 28
without limitation afros, dreadlocks, twists, locs, braids, corn row braids, 29
Bantu knots, curls, and hair styled to protect hair texture or for cultural 30
significance; and 31
(13) "Racial animosity" includes without limitation on account 32
of a natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle. 33
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/s/Scott 35
APPROVED: 4/10/23 36