SLS 22RS-2128 ENGROSSED
2022 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 499(Substitute of Senate Bill No. 339 by Senator Barrow)
BY SENATOR BARROW
DISCRIMINATION. Prohibits race discrimination based on hairstyles. (8/1/22)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:111(A) and to enact R.S. 23:332(I), relative to hairstyles; to
3 recognize ethnic and natural hairstyles; to prohibit ethnic and natural hairstyles from
4 being a barrier to certain economic opportunities; to provide for definitions; and to
5 provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 17:111(A) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
8 §111. Discrimination in public schools prohibited; pupil assignment;
9 religious educational institutions
10 A.(1) No person shall be refused admission into, or be excluded from,
11 discriminated against in any form in any public school in the state of Louisiana on
12 account of race, creed, color, disability, as defined in R.S. 51:2232, or national
13 origin.
14 (2) For the purpose of this Section, the term "race" shall include traits
15 historically associated with race, including but not limited to hair texture and
16 protective hairstyles. "Protective hairstyles" shall include but are not limited
17 to natural hairstyles, such as braids, locs, and twists.
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 499
SLS 22RS-2128 ENGROSSED
1 * * *
2 Section 2. R.S. 23:332(I) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
3 §332. Intentional discrimination in employment
4 * * *
5 (I) For purposes of this Section, the term "race" shall include traits
6 historically associated with race, including but not limited to hair texture and
7 protective hairstyles. "Protective hairstyles" shall include but are not limited
8 to natural hairstyles, such as braids, locs, and twists.
9 Section 3. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Louisiana CROWN
10 Act."
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Dawn Romero Watson.
DIGEST
SB 499 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session Barrow
Present law provides that no person shall be refused admission into or be excluded from any
public school in the state of La. based on race, creed, color, disability as defined in present
law, or national origin.
Proposed law retains present law and additionally prohibits discrimination in any form based
on race, creed, color, disability as defined in present law, or national origin.
Proposed law further provides that "race" shall include traits historically associated with race
including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles.
Present law provides that it shall be unlawful discrimination for an employer to engage in
certain practices based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Proposed law retains present law and adds that for the purpose of proposed law, "race" shall
include traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to hair texture and
protective hairstyles.
Proposed law further provides that "protective hairstyles" include but are not limited to
natural hairstyles, such as braids, locs, and twists.
Proposed law shall be known and may be cited as the "Louisiana CROWN Act".
(Amends R.S. 17:111(A); adds R.S. 23:332(I))
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.