This bill amends several sections of the General Laws to enhance protections against discrimination based on race, particularly in educational settings and employment practices. It introduces new legal language that explicitly prohibits discrimination in public schools on the basis of race or color and expands the definition of "race" to include traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles.

The bill establishes that discrimination on the basis of race is prohibited in all public elementary and secondary schools, covering various aspects such as employment practices, admissions, curricular programs, and extracurricular activities. It defines "protective hairstyles" to include hair textures and hairstyles commonly associated with a particular race or national origin, such as tightly coiled or curled hair, locks, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, and Afros.

Additionally, the bill updates the definitions in the Fair Employment Practices chapter to include "protective hairstyles" and further clarifies the meaning of "race." It ensures that individuals are protected from discrimination in various contexts, including employment and education, by reinforcing the rights of all persons within the state to equal treatment regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, or country of ancestral origin. The act is set to take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
5841: 16-38-1, 28-5-6, 42-112-1