Delaware 151st General Assembly (2021-2022) Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 19 D · 1 R cosponsors

SB 32 — AN ACT TO AMEND THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION.

Last action — Signed by Governor

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 12, 2021. Enacted.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 98% · high confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 29 sponsors

    5 primary, 24 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (19 D · 1 R) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

A 2019 study found the following: (1) Black women are 80% more likely to change their natural hair to meet social norms or expectations at work. (2) Black women are 50% more likely to be sent home or know of another Black woman sent home from work because of her hair. (3) Black women are 30% more likely to be made aware of a formal workplace appearance policy. Delaware law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race in a variety of settings. This Act makes clear that race also includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and a protective hairstyle, which includes braids, locks, and twists. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

19 changes Share ↗

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

  • § 1901, Title 2 of the Delaware Code

    “Protective hairstyle” includes braids, locks, and twists.

    Defines 'protective hairstyle' to include specific styles.

  • § 1901, Title 2 of the Delaware Code

    “Race” includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and a protective hairstyle.

    Expands the definition of 'race' to include hair texture and protective hairstyles.

  • § 4502, Title 6 of the Delaware Code

    “Protective hairstyle” includes braids, locks, and twists.

    Defines 'protective hairstyle' to include specific styles.

  • § 4502, Title 6 of the Delaware Code

    “Race” includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and a protective hairstyle.

    Expands the definition of 'race' to include hair texture and protective hairstyles.

  • § 4602, Title 6 of the Delaware Code

    “Protective hairstyle” includes braids, locks, and twists.

    Defines 'protective hairstyle' to include specific styles.

  • § 4602, Title 6 of the Delaware Code

    “Race” includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and a protective hairstyle.

    Expands the definition of 'race' to include hair texture and protective hairstyles.

  • § 1183, Title 9 of the Delaware Code

    No person shall A person may not be appointed to, or removed from, or in any way favored or discriminated against with respect to, any county position, or appointive county administrative office, because of race, or color, or national origin, or political, political or religious opinions or affiliations, or sex, or sexual orientation, or gender identity; identity. → No person shall A person may not be appointed to, or removed from, or in any way favored or discriminated against with respect to, any county position, or appointive county administrative office, because of race, or color, or national origin, or political, or religious opinions or affiliations, or sex, or sexual orientation, or gender identity; identity.

    Clarifies the non-discriminatory language for county positions, including protective hairstyles.

  • § 1183, Title 9 of the Delaware Code

    “Protective hairstyle” includes braids, locks, and twists.

    Defines 'protective hairstyle' to include specific styles.

  • § 1183, Title 9 of the Delaware Code

    “Race” includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and a protective hairstyle.

    Expands the definition of 'race' to include hair texture and protective hairstyles.

  • § 9605, Title 9 of the Delaware Code

    “Protective hairstyle” includes braids, locks, and twists.

    Defines 'protective hairstyle' to include specific styles.

  • § 9605, Title 9 of the Delaware Code

    “Race” includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and a protective hairstyle.

    Expands the definition of 'race' to include hair texture and protective hairstyles.

  • § 4503, Title 10 of the Delaware Code

    “Protective hairstyle” includes braids, locks, and twists.

    Defines 'protective hairstyle' to include specific styles.

  • § 4503, Title 10 of the Delaware Code

    “Race” includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and a protective hairstyle.

    Expands the definition of 'race' to include hair texture and protective hairstyles.

  • § 1213, Title 11 of the Delaware Code

    “Protective hairstyle” includes braids, locks, and twists.

    Defines 'protective hairstyle' to include specific styles.

  • § 1213, Title 11 of the Delaware Code

    “Race” includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and a protective hairstyle.

    Expands the definition of 'race' to include hair texture and protective hairstyles.

  • § 1304, Title 11 of the Delaware Code

    “Protective hairstyle” includes braids, locks, and twists.

    Defines 'protective hairstyle' to include specific styles.

  • § 1304, Title 11 of the Delaware Code

    “Race” includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and a protective hairstyle.

    Expands the definition of 'race' to include hair texture and protective hairstyles.

  • § 506, Title 14 of the Delaware Code

    “Protective hairstyle” includes braids, locks, and twists.

    Defines 'protective hairstyle' to include specific styles.

  • § 506, Title 14 of the Delaware Code

    “Race” includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and a protective hairstyle.

    Expands the definition of 'race' to include hair texture and protective hairstyles.

Action History

  1. Signed by Governor

  2. Passed By House. Votes: 41 YES

  3. Reported Out of Committee (Administration) in House with 3 Favorable

  4. Assigned to Administration Committee in House

  5. Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

  6. Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 4 Favorable

  7. Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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5 sponsors · 24 co-sponsors · 33 not signed on

Sponsors (5)

Co-sponsors (24)

Not signed on (33)

33 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 33 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

SM

Passed 41 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 13000
Democratic 16000
Republican 12000
Total 41000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (41)
Member Party Vote
Andria L. Bennett — Yea
David Bentz — Yea
Gerald L. Brady — Yea
John A. Kowalko — Yea
John L. Mitchell — Yea
Michael Ramone — Yea
Paul S. Baumbach — Yea
Peter C. Schwartzkopf — Yea
Ruth Briggs King — Yea
Sean Matthews — Yea
Sherry Dorsey Walker — Yea
Stephen Smyk — Yea
Valerie Longhurst — Yea
Debra Heffernan Democratic Yea
Edward S. Osienski Democratic Yea
Eric Morrison Democratic Yea
Franklin D. Cooke Democratic Yea
Kendra Johnson Democratic Yea
Kimberly Williams Democratic Yea
Krista Griffith Democratic Yea
Larry Lambert Democratic Yea
Madinah Wilson-Anton Democratic Yea
Melissa Minor-Brown Democratic Yea
Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha Democratic Yea
Sean M. Lynn Democratic Yea
Sherae'a Moore Democratic Yea
Stephanie T. Bolden Democratic Yea
William Bush Democratic Yea
William J. Carson Democratic Yea
Bryan W. Shupe Republican Yea
Charles S Postles Jr. Republican Yea
Daniel B. Short Republican Yea
Jeffrey N. Spiegelman Republican Yea
Jesse R. Vanderwende Republican Yea
Kevin S Hensley Republican Yea
Lyndon D. Yearick Republican Yea
Michael F. Smith Republican Yea
Richard G. Collins Republican Yea
Ronald E. Gray Republican Yea
Shannon Morris Republican Yea
Timothy D. Dukes Republican Yea

Official roll call →

SM

Passed 21 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 5000
Democratic 11000
Republican 5000
Total 21000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (21)
Member Party Vote
Bruce C. Ennis — Yea
Colin Bonini — Yea
Ernesto B Lopez — Yea
Kyle Evans Gay — Yea
Sarah McBride — Yea
Bryan Townsend Democratic Yea
Darius J. Brown Democratic Yea
David P. Sokola Democratic Yea
John "Jack" Walsh Democratic Yea
Laura V. Sturgeon Democratic Yea
Marie Pinkney Democratic Yea
Nicole Poore Democratic Yea
S. Elizabeth Lockman Democratic Yea
Spiros Mantzavinos Democratic Yea
Stephanie L. Hansen Democratic Yea
Trey Paradee Democratic Yea
Brian Pettyjohn Republican Yea
Bryant L. Richardson Republican Yea
Dave G. Lawson Republican Yea
David L. Wilson Republican Yea
Gerald W. Hocker Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 32 do?
A 2019 study found the following: (1) Black women are 80% more likely to change their natural hair to meet social norms or expectations at work. (2) Black women are 50% more likely to be sent home or know of another Black woman sent home from work because of her hair. (3) Black women are 30% more likely to be made aware of a formal workplace appearance policy. Delaware law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race in a variety of settings. This Act makes clear that race also includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and a protective hairstyle, which includes braids, locks, and twists. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
Who sponsors SB 32?
SB 32 is sponsored by Kyle Evans Gay, John L. Mitchell, Darius J. Brown (Democratic), Kendra Johnson (Democratic), Franklin D. Cooke (Democratic), Melissa Minor-Brown (Democratic), Sherae'a Moore (Democratic), S. Elizabeth Lockman (Democratic), Trey Paradee (Democratic), Marie Pinkney (Democratic), Nicole Poore (Democratic), Bryant L. Richardson (Republican), David P. Sokola (Democratic), Laura V. Sturgeon (Democratic), Bryan Townsend (Democratic), Stephanie T. Bolden, Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha (Democratic), Krista Griffith (Democratic), Larry Lambert (Democratic), Eric Morrison (Democratic), Edward S. Osienski (Democratic), Kimberly Williams (Democratic), Madinah Wilson-Anton (Democratic), John A. Kowalko, Sherry Dorsey Walker, Gerald L. Brady, Paul S. Baumbach, Sarah McBride, and Ernesto B Lopez.
What is the current status of SB 32?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 12, 2021. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 32?
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Last checked for changes 2 months ago · updated continuously

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