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HB2742 • 2026

discrimination; prohibited; protective hairstyles

HB2742 - discrimination; prohibited; protective hairstyles

Education Labor
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Quantá Crews, Anna Abeytia, Cesar Aguilar, Patty Contreras, Brian Garcia, Nancy Gutierrez, Sarah Liguori, Christopher Mathis, Mae Peshlakai, Mariana Sandoval, Stephanie Simacek, Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, Stacey Travers, Betty J Villegas
Last action
2026-01-21
Official status
House second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's impact on labor organizations is not explicitly detailed in the provided official source material, though it may be implied by the broader context of employment practices.

Protective Hairstyle Discrimination Ban

HB2742 makes it illegal for employers and schools in Arizona to discriminate against individuals based on their protective hairstyles, such as braids or twists.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new law that stops employers from discriminating against workers because of their hair style if the hairstyle is related to race or ethnicity.
  • Defines 'protective hairstyle' to include styles like braids, locks, and twists.
  • Adds another law that prevents schools in Arizona from discriminating against students based on their protective hairstyles.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Employers
  • Schools

Terms To Know

Protective Hairstyle
Hair styles like braids, locks, and twists that protect the hair.
Race or Ethnicity
Includes ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, background, and traits historically associated with race.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify when it will take effect.
  • It only applies to Arizona state laws and institutions within the state.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-21 House

    House second read

  2. 2026-01-20 House

    House Rules: None

  3. 2026-01-20 House

    House Commerce: None

  4. 2026-01-20 House

    House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2742 - discrimination; prohibited; protective hairstyles

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB2742 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
discrimination; prohibited; protective hairstyles

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2742

Introduced by

Representatives
Crews: Abeytia, Aguilar, Contreras P, Garcia, Gutierrez, Liguori, Mathis,
Peshlakai, Sandoval, Simacek, Stahl Hamilton, Travers, Villegas

AN
ACT

amending title 41, chapter 9, article 4,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-1469; amending title 41, chapter
9, article 8, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-1492.13; relating
to discrimination.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 41, chapter 9, article 4,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-1469, to read:

START_STATUTE
41-1469.

Unlawful employment practices; protective hairstyles; definitions

A. Notwithstanding any other law, it
is an unlawful employment practice for any employer, labor organization or
joint labor-management committee controlling apprenticeship or other training
or retraining programs, including on-the-job training programs, to
discriminate against any individual because of the individual's protective
hairstyle, race or ethnicity.

B. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Protective hairstyle"
includes such hairstyles as braids, locks and twists of any length.

2. "Race or ethnicity"
includes:

(
a
) Ancestry,
color, ethnic group identification and ethnic background.

(
b
) Traits that
are historically associated with race, including hair texture and protective
hairstyles.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Title 41, chapter 9, article 8, Arizona
Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-1492.13, to read:

START_STATUTE
41-1492.13.

Protective hairstyles; discrimination by schools prohibited;
definitions

A. Notwithstanding any other law, it
is unlawful for a nursery, elementary, secondary, undergraduate or postgraduate
private school or other place of education to discriminate against any
individual because of the individual's protective hairstyle, race or ethnicity.

B. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Protective hairstyle"
includes such hairstyles as braids, locks and twists of any length.

2. "Race or ethnicity"
includes:

(
a
) Ancestry,
color, ethnic group identification and ethnic background.

(
b
) Traits that
are historically associated with race, including hair texture and protective
hairstyles.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 3.
Short title

This act may be cited as the
"Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act".