AUSTIN, Texas — The bill that would ban race-based hair discrimination in Texas is moving forward.
House Bill 567, The CROWN Act hair discrimination bill, is scheduled to be heard by the Texas Senate Affairs Committee Monday at 9 a.m., just weeks after it overwhelmingly passed the House 143-5.
The bill, from state Rep. Rhetta Bowers, D-Garland, would prohibit schools and workplaces from discriminating based on natural hair and certain hairstyles — including braids, dreadlocks and twists.
Last week, the Dallas county Commissioners court unanimously passed a resolution in support of the CROWN Act. Commissioner John Wiley Price says he wants to send a message that hair discrimination based on race or national origin do not reflect the county’s values.
The resolution finds that “the CROWN Act is worthy of support and that hair discrimination based on race or national origin does not reflect our values.” Dallas County further pledges to “align its personnel policies with the CROWN Act to ensure that we have a respectful and open workplace for natural hair.”
“I am thankful for Commissioner John Wiley Price for offering a resolution in support of the CROWN Act, and for the Dallas County Commissioners’ Court for adopting the resolution unanimously,” said Rep. Bowers. “The CROWN Act is not only needed civil rights legislation, but it is deeply personal to me as well – so the support of my county is incredibly meaningful. I appreciate everyone that has joined in support of the CROWN Act, and together, I know that we will pass it for all Texans.”
Both Dallas County and the City of Pflugerville have passed local CROWN act resolutions. Harris County and the city of Austin have already passed similar local legislation as well.
A companion measure, Senate Bill 1356 has been filed in the upper chamber by state Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston.
Twenty states have passed the CROWN Act since the national coalition was created in 2019, including in Virginia, according to the coalition’s tracking.
Bowers’ hope is that Texas can become the 21st state to enact the law.