House passes bill banning race-based hair discrimination

The House on Friday passed legislation that would ban discrimination based on hairstyle and hair texture.

The CROWN Act, which was introduced by Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, would prohibit hair-based discrimination "if that hair texture or that hairstyle is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin." Hairstyles the legislation would protect include those "in which hair is tightly coiled or tightly curled, locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots and Afros."

The measure passed by a vote of 235-189, with 14 Republicans joining Democrats in support of the legislation.