South Carolina H 3341: Discrimination

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3341 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3341

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING 
SECTIONS 31-21-65, 59-63-41, AND 45-9-11 SO AS TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL AND AGAINST 
PUBLIC POLICY OF THIS STATE IN HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS TO 
DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN, INCLUDING 
DISCRIMINATING AGAINST CERTAIN FACIAL FEATURES, HAIR TEXTURES, HAIR TYPES, AND 
HAIR STYLES ASSOCIATED WITH RACE; BY AMENDING SECTION 1-13-30, RELATING TO 
DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO ADD CLARIFYING DEFINITIONS TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL AND 
AGAINST PUBLIC POLICY OF THIS STATE IN EMPLOYMENT TO DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS 
OF RACE, COLOR, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 1-13-80, RELATING 
TO EXCEPTIONS TO UNLAWFUL EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES, SO AS TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION 
TO COVERED EMPLOYERS ALLOWING THEM TO PROHIBIT CERTAIN FACIAL FEATURES, HAIR 
TEXTURES, HAIR TYPES, AND HAIRSTYLES ASSOCIATED WITH RACE WHEN NECESSARY TO THE 
HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE EMPLOYEE.

Whereas, throughout 
American history, characteristics such as skin color and hair texture have 
served as a proxy for race, color, and national origin and as a basis of 
enslavement, segregation, exclusion, and discrimination; and

Whereas, the history of 
our nation is riddled with laws and societal norms that equate "blackness" and 
associated characteristics like skin color, hair texture, and hairstyles, as a 
badge of inferiority and conversely, characteristics associated with whiteness 
as a marker of superiority; and

Whereas, these 
stereotypes and biases continue to permeate societal understandings, resulting 
in characteristics, like hair texture and hair styles associated with blackness 
being classified as "unprofessional," "unkempt," "distracting," and 
"unacceptable"; and

Whereas, Eurocentric 
appearance norms are privileged in American society and thus, in order to 
access employment, education, housing, and public accommodations individuals 
are required to conform to these norms, which sometimes demands drastic and 
permanent alterations to one's physical appearance; and

Whereas, despite the 
great strides in American society and civil rights law, African Americans and 
other individuals continue to experience systematic racial, color, and national 
origin discrimination on the basis of characteristics like hair texture and hair 
styles that do not fit within Eurocentric appearance norms; and

Whereas, dress codes 
and grooming policies that prohibit natural or protective hairstyles like 
afros, braids, twists, and locs, which African descendants commonly adorn and 
often reflect their racial and cultural identity, result in their denial of 
opportunities and full inclusion in education, housing, employment, and public 
accommodations; and

Whereas, a key 
enforcement agency in the State of South Carolina recognizes that racial 
discrimination consists of not only differential treatment but also policies 
that disproportionately burden individuals on the basis of "characteristics 
associated with race such as hair texture, skin color, or certain facial 
characteristics"; and 

Whereas, grooming 
policies and dress codes that prohibit natural and protective hairstyles 
disproportionately impact and burden African descendants and constitute a 
rampant form of race, color, and national origin discrimination which also is 
the source of serious economic and health consequences; and

Whereas, acting in 
accordance with the express laws and public policy of our State which affords 
equal and full access to housing, education, employment, and public 
accommodations to all individuals regardless of race, color, and national 
origin. Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 21, Title 31 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
31-21-65. (A) For purposes of this 
section, "race, color, or national origin" include characteristics associated 
with race, color, and national origin, including, but not limited to, skin 
color, facial features, hair texture, and natural hairstyles.

 (B) For 
purposes of applying the provisions of this chapter, it is unlawful and against 
public policy of this State to discriminate in matters involving housing on the 
basis of race, color, or national origin as defined in subsection (A).

SECTION 2. Article 1, Chapter 63, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
59-63-41. (A) For purposes this 
section, "race, color, or national origin" includes characteristics associated 
with race, color, and national origin, including, but not limited to, skin 
color, facial features, hair texture, and natural hairstyles.

 (B) In 
school or