H.R. 2116 · 117th Congress

Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2022

Introduced on Mar 19, 2021 by Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12). 116 cosponsors, 1 of them from another party. Latest action (Mar 21, 2022): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Stage
Passed one chamber
Introduced
Mar 19, 2021
Cosponsors
116
1 from the other party
Policy area
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. 4Passed both chambers
  5. 5Sent to the President
  6. 6Became law

Official title

To prohibit discrimination based on an individual's texture or style of hair.

Subjects

  • Cosmetics and personal care
  • Due process and equal protection
  • Elementary and secondary education
  • Employment discrimination and employee rights
  • Higher education
  • Housing discrimination
  • Poverty and welfare assistance
  • Public housing
  • Racial and ethnic relations
  • State and local government operations

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Passed House, Mar 18, 2022). Public domain.

Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2022 or the CROWN Act of 2022

This bill prohibits discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin. Specifically, the bill prohibits this type of discrimination against those participating in federally assisted programs, housing programs, public accommodations, and employment.

Persons shall not be deprived of equal rights under the law and shall not be subjected to prohibited practices based on their hair texture or style.

The bill provides for enforcement procedures under the applicable laws.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Bonnie Watson ColemanD-NJ-12Sponsor

Democrats · 115

Republicans · 1

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
    Feb 28, 2022· House· Passage· Failed 235–188
  2. On Passage
    Mar 18, 2022· House· Passage· Passed 235–189

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Mar 19, 2021Introduced in House
  2. Mar 19, 2021Introduced in House
  3. Mar 19, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  4. Mar 19, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  5. Mar 19, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  6. Sep 30, 2021 · HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  7. Sep 30, 2021 · HouseOrdered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 15.
  8. Oct 19, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
  9. Feb 25, 2022Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 117-252, Part I.
  10. Feb 25, 2022 · HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 117-252, Part I.
  11. Feb 25, 2022Committee on Education and Labor discharged.
  12. Feb 25, 2022 · HouseCommittee on Education and Labor discharged.
  13. Feb 25, 2022Committee on the Budget discharged.
  14. Feb 25, 2022 · HouseCommittee on the Budget discharged.
  15. Feb 25, 2022 · HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 182.
  16. Feb 28, 2022 · HouseMr. Nadler moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  17. Feb 28, 2022 · HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1160-1166)
  18. Feb 28, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2116.
  19. Feb 28, 2022 · HouseAt the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  20. Feb 28, 2022 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1172-1173)
  21. Feb 28, 2022Failed of passage/not agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 235 - 188 (Roll no. 48).(text: CR H1160-1162)House · Roll call 48
  22. Feb 28, 2022 · HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 235 - 188 (Roll no. 48). (text: CR H1160-1162)House · Roll call 48
  23. Mar 15, 2022 · HouseRules Committee Resolution H. Res. 979 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 963 and H.R. 2116. The rule provides for one hour of general debate on both H.R. 963 and H.R. 2116.
  24. Mar 16, 2022 · HouseRule H. Res. 979 passed House.
  25. Mar 18, 2022 · HouseConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 979. (consideration: CR H3833-3842)
  26. Mar 18, 2022 · HouseRule provides for consideration of H.R. 963 and H.R. 2116. The rule provides for one hour of general debate on both H.R. 963 and H.R. 2116.
  27. Mar 18, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 2116.
  28. Mar 18, 2022 · HouseThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  29. Mar 18, 2022Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 235 - 189 (Roll no. 82).House · Roll call 82
  30. Mar 18, 2022 · HouseOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 235 - 189 (Roll no. 82). (text: CR H3833-3834)House · Roll call 82
  31. Mar 18, 2022 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  32. Mar 21, 2022 · SenateReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.