Bill > S0519

This bill expands legal protections against racial discrimination in Rhode Island by updating the definition of "race" to explicitly include traits historically associated with race, particularly focusing on hair texture and protective hairstyles. Specifically, the bill amends three different state laws (covering schools, employment practices, and civil rights) to clarify that discrimination based on hairstyles traditionally associated with racial identity is prohibited. The bill defines "protective hairstyles" comprehensively to include a range of hair textures and styles commonly linked to specific racial or national origins, such as tightly coiled or curled hair, locks, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, and Afros. By making these changes, the legislation aims to provide explicit legal protection against discrimination that targets individuals based on hairstyles or hair textures that are culturally associated with specific racial groups, which has been a historically significant form of racial bias. The bill will take effect immediately upon its passage, ensuring swift implementation of these expanded anti-discrimination protections across various sectors of Rhode Island society.

Justice

https://status.rilegislature.gov/