Signed by Governor Ned Lamont

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits workplace, housing, and credit practice discrimination based on hairstyle.

Highlights:

• Defines "blind" as an individual whose central visual acuity does not exceed 20/200 in the better eye with correcting lenses, or whose visual acuity is greater than 20/200 but is accompanied by a limitation in the fields of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than twenty degrees (Sec. 1-1).

• Defines "person" as one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, limited liability companies, legal representatives, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, receivers and the state and all political subdivisions and agencies thereof (Sec. 1-14).

• Defines "discrimination on the basis of sex" includes but is not limited to discrimination related to pregnancy, child-bearing capacity, sterilization, fertility or related medical conditions (Sec. 1-17).

• Defines "discrimination on the basis of religious creed" as discrimination related to all aspects of religious observances and practice as well as belief, unless an employer demonstrates that the employer is unable to reasonably accommodate to an employee's or prospective employee's religious observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer's business (Sec. 1-18).

• Defines "gender identity or expression" means a person's gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person's physiology or assigned sex at birth, which gender-related identity can be shown by providing evidence including, but not limited to,  (Sec. 1-21):

• mMedical history;

• Care or treatment of the gender-related identity;

• Consistent and uniform assertion of the gender-related identity or any other evidence that the gender-related identity is sincerely held; or 

• Part of a person's core identity or not being asserted for an improper purpose.

• Defines "race" as inclusive of ethnic traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles (Sec. 1-23).

• Defines "protective hairstyles" includes, but is not limited to, wigs, headwraps and hairstyles such as individual braids, cornrows, locs, twists, Bantu knots, afros and afro puffs (Sec. 1-24).

Full Bill Text