Louisiana House approves bill that would ban hairstyle discrimination | News

BATON ROUGE, La. – In less than a minute, the Louisiana House approved previously controversial legislation that would prohibit discrimination based on hairstyles.

Earlier this year, a House committee rejected a similar bill. And House Bill 1083 barely cleared committee.

But on the House floor, the legislation was approved on a 74-24 vote without any questions or debate.

HB1083 protects against discriminating in jobs, housing and access, against natural, protective or cultural hairstyles. Specifically, the styles include “ afros, dreadlocks, twists, locs, braids, cornrow braids, Bantu knots, curls, and hair styled to protect hair texture or for cultural significance.”

The legislation now heads for the state Senate.