House File 471 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1prohibiting discrimination based on an individual’s
2texture or style of hair.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1   Section 1.  Section 8A.416, Code 2021, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3   NEW SUBSECTION.  8.  For purposes of this section:
   4a.  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means the same as
5defined in section 216.2.
   6b.  “Race” means the same as defined in section 216.2.
7   Sec. 2.  Section 15A.1, subsection 1, paragraph b, Code 2021,
8is amended to read as follows:
   9b.  For purposes of this chapter, “economic:
   10(1)   “Economicdevelopment” means private or joint public
11and private investment involving the creation of new jobs and
12income or the retention of existing jobs and income that would
13otherwise be lost.
   14(2)  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means the same as
15defined in section 216.2.
   16(3)  “Race” means the same as defined in section 216.2.
17   Sec. 3.  Section 19B.1, Code 2021, is amended by adding the
18following new subsections:
19   NEW SUBSECTION.  1A.  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means
20the same as defined in section 216.2.
21   NEW SUBSECTION.  1B.  “Race” means the same as defined in
22section 216.2.
23   Sec. 4.  Section 216.2, Code 2021, is amended by adding the
24following new subsections:
25   NEW SUBSECTION.  12A.  “Natural or protective hairstyle”
26includes but is not limited to braids, locs, twists, tight
27coils or curls, cornrows, bantu knots, afros, and headwraps.
28   NEW SUBSECTION.  13A.  “Race” is a grouping of humans based
29upon physical traits commonly or historically associated with a
30group including but not limited to skin color, hair texture,
31hair type, or a natural or protective hairstyle.
32   Sec. 5.  NEW SECTION.  216.23  Equal rights under the law.
   331.  A person in the state of Iowa shall not be excluded from
34participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected
35to discrimination under, any program or activity receiving
-1-1state financial assistance, based on the person’s natural
2or protective hairstyle, race, creed, color, sex, sexual
3orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion,
4ancestry, or disability.
   52.  A person in the state of Iowa shall not be subjected to
6a practice prohibited under 42 U.S.C. §1981(c), based on the
7person’s natural or protective hairstyle, race, creed, color,
8sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin,
9religion, ancestry, or disability.
10   Sec. 6.  Section 256.2, Code 2021, is amended by adding the
11following new subsections:
12   NEW SUBSECTION.  3A.  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means
13the same as defined in section 216.2.
14   NEW SUBSECTION.  3B.  “Race” means the same as defined in
15section 216.2.
16   Sec. 7.  Section 256B.2, subsection 1, Code 2021, is amended
17by adding the following new paragraphs:
18   NEW PARAGRAPH.  0b.  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means
19the same as defined in section 216.2.
20   NEW PARAGRAPH.  00b.  “Race” means the same as defined in
21section 216.2.
22   Sec. 8.  Section 256F.2, Code 2021, is amended by adding the
23following new subsections:
24   NEW SUBSECTION.  6A.  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means
25the same as defined in section 216.2.
26   NEW SUBSECTION.  6B.  “Race” means the same as defined in
27section 216.2.
28   Sec. 9.  Section 261A.4, Code 2021, is amended by adding the
29following new subsections:
30   NEW SUBSECTION.  17.  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means
31the same as defined in section 216.2.
32   NEW SUBSECTION.  18.  “Race” means the same as defined in
33section 216.2.
34   Sec. 10.  Section 279.58, Code 2021, is amended by adding the
35following new subsection:
-2-1   NEW SUBSECTION.  3.  a.  The board of directors of a school
2district shall not adopt, for the district or for an individual
3school within the district, a dress code policy that prohibits
4students from wearing natural or protective hairstyles that are
5commonly or historically associated with a race.
   6b.  For purposes of this subsection:
   7(1)  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means the same as
8defined in section 216.2.
   9(2)  “Race” means the same as defined in section 216.2.
10   Sec. 11.  Section 280.2, Code 2021, is amended by adding the
11following new subsections:
12   NEW SUBSECTION.  1A.  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means
13the same as defined in section 216.2.
14   NEW SUBSECTION.  3.  “Race” means the same as defined in
15section 216.2.
16   Sec. 12.  Section 341A.1, Code 2021, is amended by adding the
17following new subsections:
18   NEW SUBSECTION.  4.  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means
19the same as defined in section 216.2.
20   NEW SUBSECTION.  5.  “Race” means the same as defined in
21section 216.2.
22   Sec. 13.  Section 400.17, Code 2021, is amended by adding the
23following new subsection:
24   NEW SUBSECTION.  5.  For the purposes of this section:
   25a.  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means the same as
26defined in section 216.2.
   27b.  “Race” means the same as defined in section 216.2.
28   Sec. 14.  Section 602.1401, Code 2021, is amended by adding
29the following new subsection:
30   NEW SUBSECTION.  7.  For the purposes of this section:
   31a.  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means the same as
32defined in section 216.2.
   33b.  “Race” means the same as defined in section 216.2.
34   Sec. 15.  Section 729.4, Code 2021, is amended by adding the
35following new subsection:
-3-1   NEW SUBSECTION.  4.  For the purposes of this section:
   2a.  “Natural or protective hairstyle” means the same as
3defined in section 216.2.
   4b.  “Race” means the same as defined in section 216.2.
5EXPLANATION
6The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
7the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   8This bill provides an additional prohibition against
9discrimination in schools, workplaces, housing, places of
10public accommodations, and other contexts on the basis of hair
11texture, hair type, and natural or protective hairstyles that
12are historically and commonly associated with race.
   13The following current Code sections prohibit discrimination
14based on race: Code section 8A.416 (state employment), Code
15section 15A.1 (state disbursement of grant funds), Code section
1619B.1 (state employment and contracts), Code chapter 216 (civil
17rights commission), Code chapter 256 (department of education),
18Code chapter 256B (area education agencies), Code chapter
19256F (charter schools and innovation zone schools), Code
20chapter 261A (higher education loan authority), Code section
21279.58 (school directors), Code chapter 280 (uniform school
22requirements), Code section 341A.1 (civil service for deputy
23county sheriffs), Code section 400.17 (employees under civil
24service), Code section 602.1401 (judicial personnel), and Code
25section 729.4 (fair employment practices). The bill further
26provides that an individual cannot be discriminated against for
27state assistance programs and that no person in Iowa shall be
28subjected to a practice prohibited under 42 U.S.C. §1981(c),
29based upon the person’s natural or protective hairstyle,
30race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,
31national origin, religion, ancestry, or disability.
   32The bill provides that discrimination on the basis of
33race includes discrimination on the basis of natural or
34protective hairstyles. The bill defines “natural or protective
35hairstyles” to include but is not limited to braids, locs,
-4-1twists, tight coils or curls, cornrows, bantu knots, afros, and
2headwraps.
-5-
cm/jh