PA Gov. Shapiro Signs New Law Banning Hair Discrimination

PHILADELPHIA PA — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed into law a bill to prohibit discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles traditionally associated with race.

The legislation, signed Tuesday in front of legislative leaders and local business owners, is known as the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act.

The law amends the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to expand the definition of "face" to include traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture, protective hairstyles and religious creed.

The bill was drafted following a 2022 Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission report stating that 916 complaints were filed that year regarding racial discrimination involving hair texture and protective religious-related hairstyles.

"Real freedom means being respected for who you are - no matter what you look like, where you come from, who you love, or who you pray to," Shapiro said in a statement. "For too long, many Pennsylvanians have faced discrimination simply for hairstyles that reflect their identity and culture - that ends today."

With Shapiro's signature, Pennsylvania becomes the 28th state to enact a CROWN law. At the federal level, a version has not yet been approved despite passing the House of Representatives in 2022.