WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2024 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

Senate Bill 495

By Senators Trump, Caputo, Woelfel, and Plymale

[Introduced January 22, 2024; referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §5-11-21, relating to prohibiting racial discrimination based on certain hair textures and hairstyles.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 11. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.

§5-11-21. Racial discrimination based on certain hair textures and hairstyles; definitions.

(a) For the purposes of this article, discrimination based on race includes, but is not limited to, discrimination based on hair textures and protective hairstyles historically associated with a particular race.

(b) The term "protective hairstyles" includes, but is not limited to, hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to clarify that race discrimination includes discrimination based on certain hair textures and styles.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.