Mississippi HB 365: Crown Act; create to prohibit discrimination based on hairstyles in workplace and schools.

Bill Text

H. B. No. 365 *HR43/R1261* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Judiciary A; Business
and Commerce
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2025

By: Representative Porter

HOUSE BILL NO. 365

AN ACT TO CREATE THE "CREATE A RESPECTFUL AND OPEN WORKPLACE 1
FOR NATURAL (CROWN) HAIR ACT"; TO PROHIBIT CREATION OF WORKPLACE 2
AND SCHOOL POLICIES THAT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF NATURAL 3
HAIRSTYLES; TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION BY AN EMPLOYER, SCHOOL, 4
SCHOOL DISTRICT OR ADMINISTRATOR ENGAGED IN COMMERCE ON THE BASIS 5
OF HAIR TEXTURE; TO PROHIBIT TERMINATION, REDUCTION OF WORK HOURS, 6
OR PAYING A REDUCED SALARY OR WAGE OR EXPULSION OR DISMISSAL BASED 7
ON HAIR TEXTURE; TO PROVIDE THE REMEDIES FOR ANY PERSON WHO IS 8
AGGRIEVED BY VIOLATION OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 9
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 10
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 11
"Create A Respectful And Open Workplace For Natural (CROWN) Hair 12
Act." 13
SECTION 2. The Mississippi Legislature finds: 14
(a) That discrimination based on "natural hairstyles" 15
exists in industries engaged in commerce or in the production of 16
goods for commerce, schools throughout the United States and 17
society as a whole; 18
(b) Such differentials depresses the wages, living 19
standards, quality of education and quality of life for employees 20
and students of color, and such depression has a negative impact 21

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on their health and efficiency and drop-out rate, thereby 22
increasing the poverty rate in Mississippi; 23
(c) That workplace, school and any policies and dress 24
codes that restrict natural hairstyles, including, but not limited 25
to, afros, braids, twists and locs have a disparate impact on 26
African Americans, Latinas and other ethnic groups; 27
(d) That hair texture has historically been one (1) of 28
the many determining factors of race; and 29
(e) That acting in accordance with the constitutional 30
values of fairness, equity and opportunity for all requires the 31
Legislature to ban any policies that discriminate or treat any 32
person unfairly in any manner. 33
SECTION 3. (1) No employer, school, school district or 34
administrator may create a dress code or policy that prohibits 35
natural hair from being worn in the workplace during workplace 36
hours, school hours or during workplace or school events. For 37
purposes of this act, the term "natural hair" means afros, braids, 38
twists, locs and any similar hairstyle. 39
(2) No employer, school, school district or administrator 40
shall discriminate in any manner against any person by paying a 41
salary or wage, refusing to provide a salary or wage increase, 42
deny a promotion or other employment opportunity, or expel or in 43
any manner discipline a student or employee on the basis of any 44
natural hairstyle worn by the person. For employers, when 45
comparing an employee who does not wear natural hair if such 46

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employees are performing equal work on jobs that require equal 47
skill, effort and responsibility to perform, and which are 48
performed under similar working conditions, except where such 49
decision is made pursuant to: 50
(a) A seniority system; however, time spent on leave 51
due to a pregnancy-related condition and parental, family and 52
medical leave, shall not reduce the seniority-level of an 53
employee; 54
(b) A merit system; 55
(c) A system which measures earnings by quantity or 56
quality of production; or 57
(d) A differential based on any bona fide factor other 58
than hairstyles, if the factor: 59
(i) Is job-related with respect to the position 60
and necessary for the business; and 61
(ii) Accounts for the entire differential. 62
An employer who is paying a wage rate differential in 63
violation of this subsection shall not, in order to comply with 64
the provisions of this subsection, reduce the wage rate of any 65
other employee. 66
(3) For purposes of administration and enforcement of this 67
act, any amounts owed to an employee that have been withheld in 68
violation of this act shall be deemed to be unpaid minimum wages 69
or unpaid compensation. 70

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(4) It shall be an unlawful practice for an employer, 71
school, school district or administrator to retaliate or in any 72
other manner discriminate against any person because that person 73
has opposed a practice made unlawful by this act or because that 74
person has made a charge, filed a complaint, or instituted or 75
caused to be instituted any investigation, proceeding, hearing, or 76
action under or related to this act, including an investigation 77
conducted by the employer, or has testified or is planning to 78
testify, or has assisted, or participated in any manner in any 79
such investigation, proceeding, or hearing