Montana: The CROWN Act (HB171)
Adopted: May 2023 Bill Number: HB171 Governor: Greg Gianforte Status: Enacted
Montana enacted its CROWN Act in May 2023 when Governor Greg Gianforte, a Republican, signed HB171. Montana’s adoption is among the most significant demonstrations of the CROWN Act’s universal and bipartisan appeal: a rural, predominantly white, Republican-governed state enacting protections against hair discrimination.
Key Provisions
Montana Human Rights Act amendment. HB171 amends the state’s anti-discrimination framework to include hair texture and protective hairstyles within the definition of race.
Employment and public accommodation. The legislation covers employment decisions and public accommodations, protecting individuals from discrimination based on natural hair characteristics.
Montana Human Rights Bureau. The bureau, within the Department of Labor and Industry, has jurisdiction over hair-related discrimination complaints.
Montana Context
Montana’s adoption powerfully refutes the argument that hair discrimination protections are a partisan or urban concern. With a population that is approximately 94% white and a consistently conservative political orientation, Montana’s enactment demonstrates that legislators across the political spectrum recognise hair discrimination as a legitimate form of bias meriting legal protection.
Governor Gianforte’s signature added to the growing list of Republican governors who have endorsed CROWN Act legislation, joining his counterparts in Maryland, Nebraska, Alaska, Massachusetts, and Tennessee.
Montana’s smaller Black population, approximately 5,000 residents, does not diminish the legislation’s significance. Hair discrimination affects individuals regardless of community size, and the principle of equal protection does not require a demographic threshold. The legislation also protects Native American residents, who may face discrimination based on culturally significant hairstyles.
For how Montana’s adoption fits the national trajectory, see the CROWN Act timeline. For the CROWN Act movement overview, see the main US page.
For detailed legal analysis of Montana’s CROWN Act provisions, contact contact@crown.ngo.