Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB135 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 50 0977ER
2	2	House Bill 135
3	3	By: Representatives Schofield of the 63
4	4	rd
5	5	, Hugley of the 141
6	6	st
7	7	, Burnough of the 77
8	8	th
9	9	, Davis
10	10	of the 87
11	11	th
12	12	, Bell of the 75
13	13	th
14	14	, and others
15	15	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
16	16	AN ACT
17	17	To amend Code Section 8-3-201 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Article 1 of
18	18	1
19	19	Chapter 1 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Chapter 1 of Title 34 of the2
20	20	Official Code of Georgia Annotated, and Article 2 of Chapter 19 of Title 45 of the Official3
21	21	Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions relative to fair housing, general provisions4
22	22	regarding education, general provisions regarding labor and industrial relations, and fair5
23	23	employment practices, respectively, so as to prohibit discrimination based on hairstyles6
24	24	associated with race, color, or national origin; to provide for definitions; to provide for a civil7
25	25	cause of action; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other8
26	26	purposes.9
27	27	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:10
28	28	SECTION 1.11
29	29	Code Section 8-3-201 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions12
30	30	relative to fair housing, is amended by adding new paragraphs and revising paragraphs (13),13
31	31	(14), and (15) as follows:14
32	32	"(13) 'Protective hairstyles' includes, but is not limited to, such hairstyles as braids, locs,
33	33	15
34	34	twists, or other textured hairstyles.16
35	35	H. B. 135
36	36	- 1 - 25 LC 50 0977ER
37	37	(14) 'Race' includes traits associated with race, color, or national origin, including, but17
38	38	not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles.18
39	39	(13)(15) 'Respondent' means:19
40	40	(A) The person or other entity or the state or local government or agency accused in20
41	41	a complaint of an unfair housing practice; and21
42	42	(B) Any other person or entity identified in the course of an investigation and notified22
43	43	as required with respect to respondents so identified under subsection (d) of Code23
44	44	Section 8-3-207.24
45	45	(14)(16) 'State' means the State of Georgia.25
46	46	(15)(17) 'To rent' means to lease, to sublease, to let, and otherwise to grant for a26
47	47	consideration the right to occupy premises not owned by the occupant."27
48	48	SECTION 2.28
49	49	Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to29
50	50	general provisions regarding education, is amended by adding a new Code section to read30
51	51	as follows:31
52	52	"20-1-12.32
53	53	(a) As used in this Code section, the term:33
54	54	(1) 'Discrimination' means any direct or indirect act or practice of exclusion, distinction,34
55	55	restriction, segregation, limitation, refusal, denial, or any other act or practice of35
56	56	differentiation or preference in the treatment of a person or persons because of race,36
57	57	color, religion, national origin, sex, handicap, or age or the aiding, abetting, inciting,37
58	58	coercing, or compelling of such an act or practice. This term shall not include any direct38
59	59	or indirect act or practice of exclusion, distinction, restriction, segregation, limitation,39
60	60	refusal, denial, or any other act or practice of differentiation or preference in the treatment40
61	61	of a person or persons because of religion if an educational institution demonstrates that41
62	62	H. B. 135
63	63	- 2 - 25 LC 50 0977ER
64	64	it is unable to accommodate reasonably an individual's religious observance or practice42
65	65	without undue hardship on the conduct of the educational institution's operation.43
66	66	(2) 'Protective hairstyle' means braids, locs, twists, or other textured hairdressing44
67	67	associated with an individual's race, color, or national origin.45
68	68	(3) 'Race' includes traits associated with race, color, or national origin, including, but not46
69	69	limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles.47
70	70	(b) No individual shall be subjected to discrimination on the basis of such individual's race48
71	71	due to a protective hairstyle in any program or activity conducted by an educational49
72	72	institution that receives, or benefits from, state financial assistance, or enrolls pupils who50
73	73	receive state student financial aid."51
74	74	SECTION 3.52
75	75	Chapter 1 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general53
76	76	provisions regarding labor and industrial relations, is amended by adding a new Code section54
77	77	to read as follows:55
78	78	"34-1-11.56
79	79	(a) As used in this Code section, the term:57
80	80	(1) 'Discrimination' means any direct or indirect act or practice of exclusion, distinction,58
81	81	restriction, segregation, limitation, refusal, denial, or any other act or practice of59
82	82	differentiation or preference in the treatment of a person or persons because of race,60
83	83	color, religion, national origin, sex, handicap, or age or the aiding, abetting, inciting,61
84	84	coercing, or compelling of such an act or practice. This term shall not include any direct62
85	85	or indirect act or practice of exclusion, distinction, restriction, segregation, limitation,63
86	86	refusal, denial, or any other act or practice of differentiation or preference in the treatment64
87	87	of a person or persons because of religion if an employer demonstrates that the employer65
88	88	is unable to accommodate reasonably an employee's or prospective employee's religious66
89	89	H. B. 135
90	90	- 3 - 25 LC 50 0977ER
91	91	observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer's67
92	92	operation.68
93	93	(2) 'Employer' means any individual or entity that employs one or more employees.69
94	94	(3) 'Protective hairstyle' means braids, locs, twists, or other natural, textured hairdressing70
95	95	associated with an individual's race, color, or national origin.71
96	96	(4) 'Race' includes traits associated with race, color, or national origin, including, but not72
97	97	limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles.73
98	98	(b) No employer shall fail or refuse to hire nor shall any employer discharge or74
99	99	discriminate against any individual with respect to wages, rates of pay, hours, or other75
100	100	terms and conditions of employment because of such individual's race due to a protective76
101	101	hairstyle unless such protective hairstyle restricts such individual's ability to engage in the77
102	102	particular job or occupation for which he or she is eligible.78
103	103	(c) Any individual who is aggrieved by an alleged violation of this Code section may79
104	104	institute a civil action against the persons engaged in such alleged violation. Such action80
105	105	may be maintained in any court of competent jurisdiction and shall be commenced no later81
106	106	than one year after the alleged violation occurred. The court may grant as relief, as it82
107	107	deems appropriate, any permanent or temporary injunction, temporary restraining order,83
108	108	or other order, including, but not limited to, the hiring or reinstatement of the plaintiff to84
109	109	such individual's original position or an equivalent position, back pay, court costs, and85
110	110	reasonable attorneys' fees."86
111	111	SECTION 4.87
112	112	Article 2 of Chapter 19 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to fair88
113	113	employment practices, is amended by revising paragraph (6) of and adding new paragraphs89
114	114	to Code Section 45-19-22, relating to definitions related to the "Fair Employment Practices90
115	115	Act of 1978," to read as follows:91
116	116	H. B. 135
117	117	- 4 - 25 LC 50 0977ER
118	118	"(5.1) 'Labor organization' means an organization of any kind; agents of such92
119	119	organization; an agency or employee representation committee, group, association, or93
120	120	plan in which employees participate and which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part,94
121	121	of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay,95
122	122	hours, or other terms or conditions of employment; or a conference, general committee,96
123	123	joint or system board, or joint council so engaged which is subordinate to a national or97
124	124	international labor organization.98
125	125	(5.2) 'Protective hairstyles' includes, but is not limited to, such hairstyles as braids, locs,99
126	126	and twists.100
127	127	(6) 'Public employer' or 'employer' means any department, board, bureau, commission,101
128	128	authority, or other agency of the state, or labor organization which employs 15 or more102
129	129	employees within the state for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks103
130	130	in the current or preceding calendar year. A person elected to public office in this state104
131	131	is a public employer with respect to persons holding positions or individuals applying for105
132	132	positions which are subject to the state system of personnel administration created by106
133	133	Chapter 20 of this title, including the rules and regulations promulgated by the State107
134	134	Personnel Board or any personnel merit system of any agency or authority of this state. 108
135	135	A person elected to public office in this state is not a public employer with respect to109
136	136	persons holding positions or individuals applying for positions on such officer's personal110
137	137	staff or on the policy-making level or as immediate advisers with respect to the exercise111
138	138	of the constitutional or legal powers of the office held by such officer."112
139	139	"(7.1) 'Race' is inclusive of traits associated with race, color, or national origin, including,113
140	140	but not limited to, hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles."114
141	141	SECTION 5.115
142	142	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.116
143	143	H. B. 135
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