PHILADELPHIA (WJAC) — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday signed the CROWN Act into law, making the state the 28th in the nation to ban discrimination based on natural hair texture, protective styles, and other traits historically associated with race.
The measure — House Bill 439 — updates the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to include hairstyles such as locs, braids, twists, coils, Bantu knots, afros, and extensions in its definition of racial traits protected from discrimination.
Supporters say the law will broaden civil rights protections and ensure Pennsylvanians are not denied employment, educational opportunities, or public accommodations because of their hair.
“Real freedom means being respected for who you are — no matter what you look like, where you come from, who you love, or who you pray to,” Shapiro said during a signing ceremony at Island Design Natural Hair Studio in Philadelphia. “For too long, many Pennsylvanians have faced discrimination simply for hairstyles that reflect their identity and culture — that ends today.”
Shapiro was joined by House Speaker Joanna McClinton, Rep. La’Tasha Mayes — the bill’s prime sponsor — salon owner Lorraine Ruley, and national CROWN Act advocate Dr. Adjoa B. Asamoah.
A 2022 report from the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission found 916 complaints that year related to racial discrimination involving hair texture or protective styles.
McClinton said the law ensures employers judge workers on merit rather than appearance. “They will not look at your hair and decide you can’t work here,” she said. “They will not look at your hair and decide you don’t belong in this C-suite.”
The legislation passed with bipartisan support. Mayes credited a coalition of more than 100 organizations, unions, businesses, and municipalities for helping propel the bill forward.
Ruley, who owns the natural hair salon where Shapiro signed the bill, said the law addresses painful experiences shared by her clients. “Clients that wear braids are telling me, ‘I have to take these braids out. I have a job interview,’” she said. “The experience has been really heartbreaking.”
Asamoah, who championed the CROWN Act nationally, said the law is critical to preventing both discrimination and harmful pressure to chemically alter hair. “Too many Black children have been suspended and too many Black adults have been passed over for promotions” because of their natural hair, she said.
The bill signing comes as Shapiro highlights broader efforts to support historically disadvantaged workers and business owners. His administration has eliminated licensing requirements for natural hair braiders, accelerated small-business application processing times, expanded access to state contracts for Black- and Latino-owned businesses, and increased overall spending with minority-owned firms by 45% in the 2023–24 fiscal year.
State Sen. Vincent Hughes said the new law affirms cultural identity and rejects discriminatory practices. “This legislation makes clear that in Pennsylvania, we celebrate people for who they are and protect their right to fully embrace their identity,” Hughes said.
Shapiro said the CROWN Act is part of a larger push to ensure all Pennsylvanians “can live and work without fear of racial bias in their hair or appearance.”