SB 225: Education; discrimination on the basis of an individual's race due to a protective hairstyle, or length thereof, in any student dress or grooming policy; prohibit

Currently, Georgia law does not explicitly say whether student dress or grooming policies can penalize hairstyles like braids, locs, twists, or afros that are closely tied to race. This bill adds a new section to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated addressing that gap for educational institutions. The bill defines discrimination broadly, covering exclusion, restriction, segregation, or unequal treatment based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age. It defines a protective hairstyle as braids, locs, twists, afros, or other textured hairstyles tied to race, color, or national origin, and clarifies that hair texture and protective hairstyles count as traits associated with race. The core rule bars any student dress or grooming policy, program, or activity at a covered school from discriminating against a student because of a protective hairstyle or its length. The rule applies to any educational institution that gets state financial assistance or enrolls students who receive state student financial aid. The bill does not specify an effective date beyond standard enactment upon passage and signature.

• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 20-1-12) banning discrimination in student dress or grooming policies based on protective hairstyles or their length.
• Defines 'protective hairstyle' to include braids, locs, twists, afro, or other textured hairstyles tied to race, color, or national origin.
• Expands the legal definition of 'race' for this purpose to explicitly include hair texture and protective hairstyles.
• Applies the ban to any educational institution that receives or benefits from state financial assistance or enrolls students receiving state student financial aid.
• Carries over a broad general definition of 'discrimination' covering race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and age, with a religious accommodation exception for institutions facing undue hardship.

Public and private schools, colleges, and universities in Georgia that receive state funding or enroll students who get state financial aid, along with the students, parents, and school administrators who set or are subject to dress and grooming codes at those institutions.

Students with braids, locs, twists, or afros could no longer be disciplined, excluded, or restricted under school dress and grooming codes because of those hairstyles, giving them a legal basis to challenge such policies at schools and colleges that receive state funding or aid.

• Section 1 adds new Code Section 20-1-12 to Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 20, covering general education provisions.
• Subsection (a)(1) defines 'discrimination' broadly and carves out a religious accommodation exception where undue hardship is shown.
• Subsection (a)(3) defines 'protective hairstyle' as braids, locs, twists, afro, or other textured hairdressing tied to race, color, or national origin.
• Subsection (a)(4) expands 'race' to explicitly include hair texture and protective hairstyles.
• Subsection (b) states the operative rule: no individual may face discrimination based on a protective hairstyle or its length in any student dress or grooming policy, program, or activity at a covered educational institution.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-02-21Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
2. 2025-02-20Senate Hopper (Senado)

• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)Patrocinador principal
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Nikki Merritt (D, SD-009)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Derek Mallow (D, SD-002)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
• Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-005)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)

• school dress codes
• hair discrimination
• education civil rights
• student grooming policies