HB 135: Housing; discrimination based on hairstyles associated with race, color, or national origin; prohibit

Georgia law already bans discrimination based on race in housing, education, and employment, but current statutes do not explicitly say that includes hairstyles such as braids, locs, and twists that are commonly associated with race, color, or national origin. This bill changes several parts of Georgia law to add that protection explicitly. It amends the state's fair housing law (O.C.G.A. § 8-3-201) to define 'protective hairstyles' and expand the definition of 'race' to include hair texture and these styles. It adds new sections to the education code (O.C.G.A. § 20-1-12) barring discrimination based on protective hairstyles at schools that get state funding, and to the labor code (O.C.G.A. § 34-1-11) barring employers from refusing to hire, firing, or otherwise discriminating against workers over protective hairstyles, unless the hairstyle interferes with the specific job. It also updates the Fair Employment Practices Act of 1978 (O.C.G.A. § 45-19-22) with the same expanded definition of race and adds labor organizations to the definition of public employer. The bill creates a civil lawsuit right for workers who believe they were discriminated against, with a one-year deadline to sue.

• Adds 'protective hairstyles' (braids, locs, twists, and other textured hairstyles) as a defined term in Georgia's fair housing law and expands the definition of race to include hair texture and these styles.
• Creates a new Code section in the education law barring schools that receive state funding from discriminating against students based on protective hairstyles tied to race.
• Creates a new Code section in Georgia's labor law making it illegal for employers to refuse to hire, fire, or discriminate against workers because of protective hairstyles, unless the style genuinely interferes with the job.
• Gives workers who face this kind of discrimination the right to sue in court within one year, with possible remedies including reinstatement, back pay, and attorney's fees.
• Updates the Fair Employment Practices Act of 1978 to expand the definition of race for public employers and adds labor organizations to the definition of public employer.

The bill affects landlords and housing providers, public and state-funded schools and their students, private and public employers, workers and job applicants, and labor organizations. It is aimed at people whose natural or textured hairstyles, such as braids, locs, or twists, are tied to their race, color, or national origin.

If enacted, someone denied housing, disciplined at a state-funded school, or fired or passed over for a job because of a natural or textured hairstyle would have a clearer legal basis to challenge that treatment, including a specific right to sue an employer within one year of the incident.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 8-3-201 to define 'protective hairstyles' and expand the definition of 'race' in Georgia's fair housing law to include hair texture and these styles.
• Section 2 adds new O.C.G.A. § 20-1-12 prohibiting discrimination based on protective hairstyles in any program run by an educational institution that gets state financial assistance or enrolls students with state aid.
• Section 3 adds new O.C.G.A. § 34-1-11 barring employers from refusing to hire, firing, or otherwise discriminating against employees over protective hairstyles unless the style restricts the person's ability to do that specific job.
• Section 3 also creates a civil cause of action for affected individuals, allowing lawsuits within one year of the violation with remedies including reinstatement, back pay, court costs, and attorney's fees.
• Section 4 revises O.C.G.A. § 45-19-22 under the Fair Employment Practices Act of 1978 to add 'protective hairstyles' and an expanded 'race' definition, and adds labor organizations to the definition of public employer.
• Section 5 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-01-29House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-01-28House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-01-27House Hopper (House)

• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)Primary sponsor
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Rhonda Burnough (D, HD-077)
• Viola Davis (D, HD-087)
• Eric Bell (D, HD-075)
• Jasmine Clark (D, HD-108)

• hair discrimination
• fair housing
• employment discrimination
• school discrimination
• civil rights