Pennsylvania House protects hairstyles in anti-discrimination law

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed a bill to prevent discrimination based on hairstyle. The vote was nearly unanimous. This decision comes amid a legal challenge regarding the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission's authority to interpret anti-discrimination laws. This is the second time since July 2023 that the House has sent this bill for approval. The proposed law aims to clarify that racial discrimination includes issues related to hair. Supporters claim this change is particularly important for Black women, who often face bias regarding their hair texture and styles. Recently, the Democratic-majority House has passed multiple updates to the Human Relations Act. However, these changes have not moved forward in the Republican-controlled state Senate.