HB284--DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES
SPONSOR: Proudie
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheSpecialCommitteeon
UrbanIssuesbyavoteof5to0.
Thisbillestablishesthe"MissouriCreatingaRespectfulandOpen
WorldforNaturalHair(MissouriCROWN)Act",whichgoverns
discriminatory practicesastheyrelateto"protectivehairstyles",
asdefinedinthebill.
Thisbillspecifiesthatnopersonwillbesubjectedto
discrimination basedontheperson'shairtextureorprotective
hairstyle,ifthatprotectivehairstyleortextureiscommonly
associatedwithaparticularraceororigin,inanyprogramor
activityconductedbyaneducationalinstitutionthatreceivesor
benefitsfrom"Statefinancialassistance",asthattermisdefined
intheAct,orthatenrollspupilswhoreceiveStatestudent
financialaid;provided,however,thatsuchinstitutionmayrequire
theuseofhairnetsorcoveringsormayrequirethathairbe
securedforsafetypurposesinanycareerandtechnicaltraining
courseorclasstocomplywithsafetyregulationsandstandardsof
thecourseorclassthroughoutthedurationofthecourseorclass.
Theprovisionsofthisbilldonotapplytoaneducational
institutionthatiscontrolledbyareligiousorganizationifthe
applicationofsuchprovisionwouldnotbeconsistentwiththe
religioustenetsofthatorganization.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1900(2024).
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatnaturalhairstylescantellthe
storyofaperson'scultureandheritage. Allowingchildrento
wearnaturalhairstylesisfundamentaltodignityandshouldbea
rightofeverypersontobetheirauthenticself.Parentsrelyon
socialinstitutionstomakesafeandsecurelearningenvironments
fortheirchildren. Worryingaboutdisciplineinschoolfor
somethingachildcannothelpisonemorestressorthatcould
impedeachildfromthriving. Nopersonshouldbedisciplinedor
deniedparticipationinaschoolfunctionbasedonaspectsoftheir
appearancethatcan'tbechanged.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Proudie;
AbortionActionMissouri;EbonyWilliams;NationalAssociationof
SocialWorkersMoChapter;KrystalBarnett,Bridge2HopeParent
Institute;MarcelHagens,ActionSt.LouisPowerProject;and
NimrodChapelJr.,NAACPStateConference. OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.