Texas Enacts the CROWN Act Expanding Race Discrimination Protections to Include Hairstyles

What Changed

Texas enacted House Bill 567 (HB 567), known as the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), which expands the definition of "race" under Texas anti-discrimination law to include traits historically associated with race — specifically hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists.

The CROWN Act prohibits discrimination based on natural, protective, and cultural hairstyles in both employment and education settings. Employers can no longer enforce dress code or grooming policies that disproportionately affect employees based on their natural hair texture or protective hairstyles.

Who Is Affected

All Texas employers are affected. The law amends the existing Texas anti-discrimination framework, which means:

• All employers subject to Texas employment discrimination laws must comply

• Dress codes and grooming policies that restrict natural hairstyles associated with race are now unlawful

• This applies to all employment decisions: hiring, firing, promotion, and terms and conditions of employment

Where It Applies

Texas statewide.

When It Takes Effect

September 1, 2023.

Why It Matters

Texas joins a growing number of states — including California, New York, Colorado, and others — that have enacted CROWN Act legislation. The law addresses a well-documented pattern of workplace policies that disproportionately affect Black employees and other people of color by penalizing natural hairstyles. Employers with grooming or appearance policies should review them carefully to ensure compliance.

While the law expands the definition of race, enforcement runs through existing anti-discrimination mechanisms — meaning complaints can be filed with the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division, and violations carry the same potential penalties as other forms of race discrimination.

The Humareso Take

This is a straightforward but important change. If your dress code or grooming policy says anything about hairstyles — length, texture, style — it needs to be reviewed. The safest approach is to remove any language that could be read as targeting natural or protective hairstyles. We have seen employers get caught off guard by policies they wrote years ago and never revisited. Now is the time.

Recommended Action Steps

1. Review your dress code and grooming policies to remove any language that restricts natural hairstyles, hair textures, or protective styles such as braids, locks, and twists.

2. Update your EEO policy to reflect the expanded definition of race under Texas law.

3. Revise your employee handbook to align with the CROWN Act before September 1, 2023.

4. Train managers and supervisors to avoid enforcement actions based on employees' natural hairstyles.

5. Contact your Humareso representative for a review of your dress code and grooming policies for CROWN Act compliance.