---
type: "Bill"
title: "Discrimination – Definition of Race – Hair Texture and Hairstyles"
description: "Discrimination – Definition of Race – Hair Texture and Hairstyles"
jurisdiction: "us/states/md"
legislature: "Maryland General Assembly"
session: "2020"
identifier: "SB 531"
citation: "Maryland SB 531 (2020)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Augustine", "Benson", "Carter", "Cassilly", "Ellis", "Feldman", "Griffith", "Guzzone", "Hayes", "Hester", "Hettleman", "Lam", "Lee", "McCray", "Patterson", "Peters", "Ready", "Smith", "Sydnor", "Waldstreicher", "Washington", "West", "Zucker"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 16
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2020-01-30"
last_action: "2020-05-08"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/67683481-a406-41f5-b00e-5590eebc99e6"
source_url: "http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0531?ys=2020RS&search=True"
source_hash: "1050d926310b1c10d3dcf031404ea3a1d3c57b72c87efcc4c3316ac8873c8ca0"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-md"]
---

# Maryland SB 531 (2020) — Discrimination – Definition of Race – Hair Texture and Hairstyles

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Chapter - Discrimination – Definition of Race – Hair Texture and Hairstyles** (committee substitute) — [source](http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2020RS/Chapters_noln/CH_474_sb0531e.pdf)
2. **Enrolled - Discrimination – Definition of Race – Hair Texture and Hairstyles** (committee substitute) — [source](http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2020RS/bills/sb/sb0531e.pdf)
3. **First - Discrimination - Definition of Race - Hair Texture and Hairstyles** (committee substitute) — [source](http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2020RS/bills/sb/sb0531f.pdf)
4. **Third - Discrimination on the Basis of Race – Hair Texture and Hairstyles** (committee substitute) — [source](http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2020RS/bills/sb/sb0531t.pdf)

## Votes

- ON THIRD READING (Rules Suspended) (Amend) — **132–2** (pass) · lower
- On Third Reading — **46–0** (pass) · upper
- On third reading — **45–0** (pass) · upper
- Motion to suspend rules and allow 2 Rdgs on 1 Day — **130–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Augustine — primary (person)
- Benson — primary (person)
- Carter — primary (person)
- Cassilly — primary (person)
- Ellis — primary (person)
- Feldman — primary (person)
- Griffith — primary (person)
- Guzzone — primary (person)
- Hayes — primary (person)
- Hester — primary (person)
- Hettleman — primary (person)
- Lam — primary (person)
- Lee — primary (person)
- McCray — primary (person)
- Patterson — primary (person)
- Peters — primary (person)
- Ready — primary (person)
- Smith — primary (person)
- Sydnor — primary (person)
- Waldstreicher — primary (person)
- Washington — primary (person)
- West — primary (person)
- Zucker — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2020-01-30** First Reading Judicial Proceedings `referral-committee`
- **2020-01-30** Hearing 2/18 at 12:00 p.m.
- **2020-02-24** Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2020-02-25** Favorable with Amendments { `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2020-02-25** Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- **2020-02-27** Third Reading Passed `passage`
- **2020-02-28** Referred Health and Government Operations `referral-committee`
- **2020-03-15** Favorable with Amendments Report by Health and Government Operations `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2020-03-15** Favorable with Amendments { `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2020-03-15** Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- **2020-03-15** Motion Rules Suspend Two Readings Same Day (Delegate Rosenberg) Adopted
- **2020-03-15** Third Reading Passed `passage`
- **2020-03-16** Senate Concurs House Amendments
- **2020-03-16** Third Reading Passed `passage`
- **2020-03-16** Passed Enrolled
- **2020-05-08** Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 474 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/67683481-a406-41f5-b00e-5590eebc99e6`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Maryland legislature records).