New York: The CROWN Act (S6209A)
Adopted: December 2019 Bill Number: S6209A Governor: Andrew Cuomo Status: Enacted
New York became one of the first states to follow California’s lead, enacting its own CROWN Act in December 2019. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed S6209A, amending the New York Human Rights Law to explicitly include hair texture and protective hairstyles as characteristics protected from discrimination.
Key Provisions
Human Rights Law amendment. S6209A expands the definition of race under New York’s Human Rights Law to include traits historically associated with race, including natural hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locs, and twists.
Employment and public accommodations. The law covers employment decisions, housing, public accommodations, and educational institutions. New York’s broad Human Rights Law framework means that hair discrimination protections extend beyond the workplace to multiple domains of public life.
New York City Human Rights Law alignment. New York City had already issued guidance in 2019 recognising that hair-related discrimination could constitute race-based discrimination under the NYC Human Rights Law. The state legislation formalised and expanded these protections statewide.
New York Context
As the fourth most populous state and a global centre of commerce, media, and fashion, New York’s adoption carried outsized significance. The state is home to approximately 3.2 million Black residents, with significant Caribbean, African, and African American communities across the five boroughs and upstate cities.
New York’s fashion and media industries are particularly relevant to the hair discrimination conversation. Beauty standards communicated through New York-based media and fashion institutions have historically privileged straight hair textures. The CROWN Act’s adoption in the state that houses these industries was symbolically and practically important.
The New York Commission on Human Rights, which enforces the Human Rights Law, gained explicit authority to investigate hair-related discrimination complaints. The commission had previously addressed individual cases under existing race provisions, but the amended law provided clearer statutory basis.
Relationship to the Broader Movement
New York’s rapid adoption, within months of California’s enactment, helped establish the momentum that would carry the CROWN Act movement across twenty-four states. The combination of California and New York, the nation’s two largest state economies, demonstrated that hair discrimination protections had support in major, economically significant jurisdictions.
For how New York’s adoption fits within the broader legislative trajectory, see the CROWN Act timeline. For analysis of the research evidence that informed these legislative decisions, see Data Behind the CROWN Act.
For detailed legal analysis of New York’s CROWN Act provisions, contact contact@crown.ngo.