HARTFORD, Conn. — Gov. Ned Lamont held a ceremonial signing for Creating A Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair act, otherwise known as the CROWN Act, this morning.
Lamont signed the bill last Friday when it passed the legislature.
The bill prohibits discrimination on the basis of ethnic hairstyles historically associated with race. It builds on Connecticut's current legislation preventing discrimination by adding two qualifiers.
The first qualifier is the word "Race," which would be inclusive of ethnic traits historically associated with a person's race including hair texture and protective hairstyles.
The second would qualify "protective hairstyles" to include wigs, headwraps, and hairstyles like cornrows and locs.
Lamont praised the bill's passage at the House level and said it would only add benefit to Connecticut.
“Racial discrimination of any kind is unacceptable, and we must strive to eradicate all forms, including those instances which are not overt,” Lamont said. “For example, when a person of color has a job interview or simply goes to work, they should never be judged based on anything other than skills, work product, commitment, dedication, and work ethic. This measure is critical to helping build a more equitable society.”
According to the governor's office, CROWN Act takes effect immediately.
Officials say similar versions of the bill have recently been adopted in multiple states around the country.
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.