WEST virginia legislature

2020 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 4508

By Delegates Walker, Hornbuckle, Bates, S. Brown, Staggers, Evans, Pyles, Williams, Hansen, Hanna and Campbell

[Introduced January 23, 2020; Referred to the Committee on Government Organization then the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §5-11-22, relating to making it illegal to discriminate based on hair texture or hair style; and defining terms.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 11. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.

§5-11-22. Protective hairstyles; definitions.

(a) The term “race”, for the purposes of this article, include traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles.

(b) The term “protective hairstyles” include, but not be limited to, such hairstyles as braids, locks, and twists.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to make it illegal to discriminate based on hair text or hair style. The bill defines terms.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.