New York state has explicitly outlawed discrimination on Friday based on hairstyles or textures associated with someone's race after the measure was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The new law changes a section of the state Human Rights Law to add a new subsection to the definitions of race.

It will now include specific language barring discrimination against “traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles.” Those include, but are not limited to, braids, locks and twists.

“For much of our nation's history, people of color—particularly women—have been marginalized and discriminated against simply because of their hair style or texture,” Cuomo said. “By signing this bill into law, we are taking an important step toward correcting that history and ensuring people of color are protected from all forms of discrimination.”

The bill was sponsored by Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright, D-Brooklyn, and State Sen. Jamaal Bailey, D-Bronx. Wright is chairwoman of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus.

“As a black woman who prioritizes equity, and has worn my [hair] natural for 17 years, this bill is deeply personal for me,” Wright said.

Wright said the bill was inspired, in part, by action Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, took in 2014 to prevent the military from banning certain hairstyles she said would have disproportionately impacted women of color.

The type of discrimination outlawed by the new law was already in effect in New York City, where the Commission on Human Rights promulgated rules against the practice earlier this year. Employers who had previously asked their employees of color to chemically straighten their hair, limit its size, or take other steps to change it from natural were barred from doing so.

Those protections, while not as specific, will now apply statewide. The new law takes effect immediately.

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