02/23/2022 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION

                SB 174-ALLOW NATURAL HAIRSTYLES                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:13:42 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND announced the consideration  of SENATE BILL NO. 174                                                               
"An Act relating to dress codes and natural hairstyles."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:14:01 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND opened public testimony on SB 174.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:14:23 AM                                                                                                                    
At ease.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:14:42 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HOLLAND reconvened  the meeting  and  continued to  public                                                               
testimony.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:15:04 AM                                                                                                                    
ROZLYN  GRADY-WYCHT, Vice  President, Alaska  Coalition of  Black                                                               
Indigenous People of Color  (BIPOC) Educators, Anchorage, Alaska,                                                               
stated  she   supports  SB  174.   She  is   a  fourth-generation                                                               
hairstylist  who has  heard  many  discriminatory comments  about                                                               
natural hair  choices. Her  sister was  called loofah  at school.                                                               
She was told  that natural hair made her look  dangerous and that                                                               
braids made  her look  ghetto. She  has spent  time straightening                                                               
little  girls' hair  when they  should  be taught  to love  their                                                               
natural curls. Locks are not  dreadful. As a hairstylist and para                                                               
educator, she teaches clients and  students to love their natural                                                               
hair because it is a part of  their culture and who they are. She                                                               
hopes committee members will support SB 174.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:15:45 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS arrived.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:17:45 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND closed public testimony on SB 174.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:18:09 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND solicited a motion.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:18:12 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BEGICH moved Amendment 1 (G.1).                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                          AMENDMENT 1                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                                                 32-LS1298\G.1                                                                  
                                                         Marx                                                                   
                                                      2/18/22                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
    OFFERED IN THE SENATE                 BY SENATOR BEGICH                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 7, following "race":                                                                                          
          Insert ", including wearing headwraps"                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 10:                                                                                                           
          Delete "and tight coils"                                                                                              
          Insert "tight coils, afros, cornrows, and bantu                                                                       
     knots"                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 5, following "race":                                                                                          
          Insert ", including wearing headwraps"                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 8:                                                                                                            
          Delete "and tight coils"                                                                                              
          Insert "tight coils, afros, cornrows, and bantu                                                                       
     knots"                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:18:29 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND objected for purposes of discussion.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:18:32 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BEGICH said  that  Colorado and  other  state laws  used                                                               
language  that included  additional  elements.  Amendment 1  adds                                                               
these elements for clarity while still maintaining inclusivity.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:18:58 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND removed  his objection to Amendment 1;  he found no                                                               
further objection and Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:19:12 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HOLLAND commented  that while  he  supports SB  174 as  it                                                               
relates  to  education,  he  has   concerns  about  applying  the                                                               
legislation to businesses  and hopes that the  Labor and Commerce                                                               
Committee will address those issues.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:19:45 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND solicited a motion.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:19:47 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS  moved that  SB 174,  work order  32-LS1298\G, as                                                               
amended,  be   reported  from   the  Senate   Education  Standing                                                               
Committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note(s).                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:20:07 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND objected to asked if  the sponsor of SB 174 had any                                                               
closing comments.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WILSON indicated he had no closing comments.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:20:13 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HOLLAND  withdrew  his  objection;  he  found  no  further                                                               
objection  and  CSSB  174(EDC)   was  reported  from  the  Senate                                                               
Education Standing Committee.