Florida SB 252: Prohibited Discrimination Based on Hairstyle

Bill Text

252 
Prohibited Discrimination Based on Hairstyle 
2025-10-20T12:05:11Z 
Citing this act as the "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act” or “CROWN Act"; prohibiting discrimination based on protected hairstyle against a student in the K-20 public education system; defining the terms “race” and “protected hairstyle” for purposes of public K-12 nondiscrimination requirements; defining the terms “race” and “protected hairstyle” for purposes of antidiscrimination requirements for private schools participating in the state school choice scholarship program, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 SB 252 

 By Senator Jones 

 34-00164-26 2026252__ 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to prohibited discrimination based on 
 3 hairstyle; providing a short title; amending s. 
 4 1000.05, F.S.; defining the term “protected 
 5 hairstyle”; prohibiting discrimination based on 
 6 protected hairstyle against a student in the K-20 
 7 public education system; conforming provisions to 
 8 changes made by the act; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.; 
 9 defining the terms “race” and “protected hairstyle” 
 10 for purposes of public K-12 nondiscrimination 
 11 requirements; amending s. 1002.421, F.S.; defining the 
 12 terms “race” and “protected hairstyle” for purposes of 
 13 antidiscrimination requirements for private schools 
 14 participating in the state school choice scholarship 
 15 program; providing an effective date. 
 16 
 17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 18 
 19 Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Creating a 
 20 Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act” or “CROWN Act.” 
 21 Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 1000.05, Florida 
 22 Statutes, is amended to read: 
 23 1000.05 Discrimination against students and employees in 
 24 the Florida K-20 public education system prohibited; equality of 
 25 access required.— 
 26 (2)(a) As used in this section, the term “protected 
 27 hairstyle” means hair characteristics historically associated 
 28 with race, such as hair texture and styles, including, but not 
 29 limited to, afros, braids, locks, or twists. 
 30 (b) Discrimination on the basis of race, color, national 
 31 origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital status against a 
 32 student or an employee in the state system of public K-20 
 33 education is prohibited. No person in this state shall, on the 
 34 basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, 
 35 religion, or marital status, be excluded from participation in, 
 36 be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination 
 37 under any public K-20 education program or activity, or in any 
 38 employment conditions or practices, conducted by a public 
 39 educational institution that receives or benefits from federal 
 40 or state financial assistance. Additionally, discrimination 
 41 based on a protected hairstyle against a student in the state 
 42 system of public K-20 education is prohibited. A student may not 
 43 be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or 
 44 subjected to discrimination under any public K-20 education 
 45 program or activity on the basis of a protected hairstyle. 
 46 (c)(b) The criteria for admission to a program or course 
 47 may shall not have the effect of restricting access by students 
 48 persons of a particular race, color, national origin, sex, 
 49 disability, religion, or marital status or with a protected 
 50 hairstyle. 
 51 (d)(c) All public K-20 education classes must shall be 
 52 available to all students without regard to race, color, 
 53 protected hairstyle, national origin, sex, disability, religion, 
 54 or marital status; however, this is not intended to eliminate 
 55 the provision of programs designed to meet the needs of students 
 56 with limited proficiency in English, gifted students, or 
 57 students with disabilities or programs tailored to students with 
 58 specialized talents or skills. 
 59 (e)(d) Students may be separated by sex for a single-gender 
 60 program, for any portion of a class that deals with human 
 61 reproduction, or during participation in bodily contact sports. 
 62 For the purpose of this section, bodily contact sports include 
 63 wrestling, boxing, rugby, ice hockey, football, basketball, and 
 64 other sports in which the purpose or major activity involves 
 65 bodily contact. 
 66 (f)(e) Guidance services, counseling services, and 
 67 financial assistance services in the state public K-20 education 
 68 system shall be available to students equally. Guidance and 
 69 counseling services, materials, and promotional events shall 
 70 stress access to academic and career opportunities for students 
 71 without regard to race, color, protected hairstyle, national 
 72 origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital status. 
 73 Section 3. Subsection (7) of section 1002.20, Florida 
 74 Statutes, is amended to re