Connecticut: The CROWN Act (SB 86)
Adopted: March 2021 Bill Number: SB 86 Governor: Ned Lamont Status: Enacted
Connecticut enacted its CROWN Act in March 2021 when Governor Ned Lamont signed SB 86, adding hair texture and protective hairstyles to the state’s anti-discrimination protections. The legislation strengthened the concentration of CROWN Act states in the Northeast.
Key Provisions
Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act amendment. SB 86 amends the state’s anti-discrimination law to explicitly include hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locs, twists, and Bantu knots, within the definition of race.
Broad coverage. Consistent with Connecticut’s existing anti-discrimination framework, protections extend to employment, housing, public accommodation, and education.
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. Connecticut’s CHRO has jurisdiction to investigate hair-related discrimination complaints, providing a well-established enforcement pathway.
Connecticut Context
Connecticut’s diverse population, including significant Black communities in Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport, made hair discrimination a tangible concern. The state’s concentration of insurance, financial services, and corporate headquarters means that formal workplace grooming standards affect a large segment of the workforce.
Connecticut’s adoption in March 2021 launched the second major wave of CROWN Act legislation. After the initial trio of states in 2019 and four more in 2020, the 2021 wave would see five additional states enact protections, demonstrating sustained and accelerating momentum in the CROWN Act movement.
For the full legislative trajectory, see the CROWN Act timeline. For how this relates to European efforts, see Lessons from the CROWN Act for Europe.
For detailed legal analysis of Connecticut’s CROWN Act provisions, contact [email protected].