SF 318 Iowa Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

A bill for an act prohibiting discrimination based on an individual’s texture or style of hair.

SF 318 prohibits discrimination based on an individual’s hair texture, style, or natural/protective hairstyles (including braids, locs, twists, afros, and cornrows) in schools, workplaces, housing, and public accommodations. It amends Iowa’s civil rights laws to explicitly include hairstyle as a protected characteristic under existing race discrimination protections. The bill defines "natural or protective hairstyles" and requires school districts to remove dress code policies banning such styles. It applies statewide to all programs receiving state funding and aligns with federal protections under 42 U.S.C. §1981(c).
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 13, 2025 Last action Feb 20, 2025
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
2
Key actions
1
Committee
1
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Subcommittee: Schultz, Bousselot, and Knox.
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, referred to Judiciary.
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Izaah Knox
Izaah Knox
DDemocratic
IA
17