SESSION WATCH
THE BILL ITSELF

SB 252

Prohibited Discrimination Based on Hairstyle

VERSION S 252 Filed · BACK TO THE SUMMARY · OFFICIAL RECORD

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 252 By Senator Jones 34-00164-26 2026252__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to prohibited discrimination based on
3 hairstyle; providing a short title; amending s.
4 1000.05, F.S.; defining the term “protected
5 hairstyle”; prohibiting discrimination based on
6 protected hairstyle against a student in the K-20
7 public education system; conforming provisions to
8 changes made by the act; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.;
9 defining the terms “race” and “protected hairstyle”
10 for purposes of public K-12 nondiscrimination
11 requirements; amending s. 1002.421, F.S.; defining the
12 terms “race” and “protected hairstyle” for purposes of
13 antidiscrimination requirements for private schools
14 participating in the state school choice scholarship
15 program; providing an effective date.
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19 Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Creating a
20 Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act” or “CROWN Act.”
21 Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 1000.05, Florida
22 Statutes, is amended to read:
23 1000.05 Discrimination against students and employees in
24 the Florida K-20 public education system prohibited; equality of
25 access required.—
26 (2)(a) As used in this section, the term “protected
27 hairstyle” means hair characteristics historically associated
28 with race, such as hair texture and styles, including, but not
29 limited to, afros, braids, locks, or twists.
30 (b) Discrimination on the basis of race, color, national
31 origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital status against a
32 student or an employee in the state system of public K-20
33 education is prohibited. No person in this state shall, on the
34 basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability,
35 religion, or marital status, be excluded from participation in,
36 be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination
37 under any public K-20 education program or activity, or in any
38 employment conditions or practices, conducted by a public
39 educational institution that receives or benefits from federal
40 or state financial assistance. Additionally, discrimination
41 based on a protected hairstyle against a student in the state
42 system of public K-20 education is prohibited. A student may not
43 be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or
44 subjected to discrimination under any public K-20 education
45 program or activity on the basis of a protected hairstyle.
46 (c) (b) The criteria for admission to a program or course
47 may shall not have the effect of restricting access by students
48 persons of a particular race, color, national origin, sex,
49 disability, religion, or marital status or with a protected
50 hairstyle .
51 (d) (c) All public K-20 education classes must shall be
52 available to all students without regard to race, color,
53 protected hairstyle, national origin, sex, disability, religion,
54 or marital status; however, this is not intended to eliminate
55 the provision of programs designed to meet the needs of students
56 with limited proficiency in English, gifted students, or
57 students with disabilities or programs tailored to students with
58 specialized talents or skills.
59 (e) (d) Students may be separated by sex for a single-gender
60 program, for any portion of a class that deals with human
61 reproduction, or during participation in bodily contact sports.
62 For the purpose of this section, bodily contact sports include
63 wrestling, boxing, rugby, ice hockey, football, basketball, and
64 other sports in which the purpose or major activity involves
65 bodily contact.
66 (f) (e) Guidance services, counseling services, and
67 financial assistance services in the state public K-20 education
68 system shall be available to students equally. Guidance and
69 counseling services, materials, and promotional events shall
70 stress access to academic and career opportunities for students
71 without regard to race, color, protected hairstyle, national
72 origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital status.
73 Section 3. Subsection (7) of section 1002.20, Florida
74 Statutes, is amended to read:
75 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
76 school students must receive accurate and timely information
77 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
78 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
79 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
80 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
81 (7) NONDISCRIMINATION.—All education programs, activities,
82 and opportunities offered by public educational institutions
83 must be made available without discrimination on the basis of
84 race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, disability, religion,
85 or marital status, in accordance with the provisions of s.
86 1000.05. For purposes of this subsection, the term “race” is
87 inclusive of traits historically associated with race,
88 including, but not limited to, hair texture, hair type, and
89 protected hairstyles. The term “protected hairstyle” includes,
90 but is not limited to, afros, braids, locks, or twists.
91 Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
92 1002.421, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
93 1002.421 State school choice scholarship program
94 accountability and oversight.—
95 (1) PRIVATE SCHOOL ELIGIBILITY AND OBLIGATIONS.—A private
96 school participating in an educational scholarship program
97 established pursuant to this chapter must be a private school as
98 defined in s. 1002.01 in this state, be registered, and be in
99 compliance with all requirements of this section in addition to
100 private school requirements outlined in s. 1002.42, specific
101 requirements identified within respective scholarship program
102 laws, and other provisions of Florida law that apply to private
103 schools, and must:
104 (a) Comply with the antidiscrimination provisions of 42
105 U.S.C. s. 2000d. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “race”
106 as used in 42 U.S.C. s. 2000d is inclusive of traits
107 historically associated with race, including, but not limited
108 to, hair texture, hair type, and protected hairstyles. The term
109 “protected hairstyle” includes, but is not limited to, afros,
110 braids, locks, or twists.
112 The department shall suspend the payment of funds to a private
113 school that knowingly fails to comply with this subsection, and
114 shall prohibit the school from enrolling new scholarship
115 students, for 1 fiscal year and until the school complies. If a
116 private school fails to meet the requirements of this subsection
117 or has consecutive years of material exceptions listed in the
118 report required under paragraph (q), the commissioner may
119 determine that the private school is ineligible to participate
120 in a scholarship program.
121 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.