SB 73: Enact Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act

As Introduced

36th General Assembly Regular Session 2025-2026

S. B. No. 73

Senators Hicks-Hudson, Ingram

Cosponsors: Senators Weinstein, Smith, Antonio, Craig, DeMora

A B I L L

To amend sections 3314.03, 3326.11, 3328.24, and 1
4112.01 and to enact section 3313.6612 of the 2
Revised Code to enact the Creating a Respectful 3
and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act to 4
prohibit discrimination against an individual 5
based on hair texture and protective hair 6
styles. 7

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That sections 3314.03, 3326.11, 3328.24, and 8
4112.01 be amended and section 3313.6612 of the Revised Code be 9
enacted to read as follows: 10

Sec. 3313.6612. (A) As used in this section: 11

(1) "Public or private primary or secondary school" 12
includes all of the following: 13
(a) A preschool as defined in section 2950.034 of the 14
Revised Code; 15
(b) A school operated by a city, local, or exempted 16
village school district, a joint vocational school district, a 17

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

community school established under Chapter 3314., a STEM school 18
established under Chapter 3326., or a college-preparatory 19
boarding school established under Chapter 3328. of the Revised 20
Code; 21
(c) A chartered nonpublic school as defined in section 22
3310.01 of the Revised Code. 23
(2) "Race" includes traits associated with an individual's 24
race, including hair texture and protective hair styles, such as 25
braids, locks, and twists. 26
(B) No public or private primary or secondary school shall 27
discriminate against any individual with respect to any program 28
or activity on account of an individual's traits that are 29
associated with the individual's race. 30
(C) Any individual alleging that a public or private 31
primary or secondary school has violated this section may bring 32
a civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction. 33
Sec. 3314.03. A copy of every contract entered into under 34
this section shall be filed with the director of education and 35
workforce. The department of education and workforce shall make 36
available on its web site a copy of every approved, executed 37
contract filed with the director under this section. 38
(A) Each contract entered into between a sponsor and the 39
governing authority of a community school shall specify the 40
following: 41
(1) That the school shall be established as either of the 42
following: 43
(a) A nonprofit corporation established under Chapter 44
1702. of the Revised Code, if established prior to April 8, 45

S. B. No. 73 Page 3 As Introduced

2003; 46
(b) A public benefit corporation established under Chapter 47
1702. of the Revised Code, if established after April 8, 2003. 48
(2) The education program of the school, including the 49
school's mission, the characteristics of the students the school 50
is expected to attract, the ages and grades of students, and the 51
focus of the curriculum; 52
(3) The academic goals to be achieved and the method of 53
measurement that will be used to determine progress toward those 54
goals, which shall include the statewide achievement 55
assessments; 56
(4) Performance standards, including but not limited to 57
all applicable report card measures set forth in section 3302.03 58
or 3314.017 of the Revised Code, by which the success of the 59
school will be evaluated by the sponsor; 60
(5) The admission standards of section 3314.06 of the 61
Revised Code and, if applicable, section 3314.061 of the Revised 62
Code; 63
(6)(a) Dismissal procedures; 64
(b) A requirement that the governing authority adopt an 65
attendance policy that includes a procedure for automatically 66
withdrawing a student from the school if the student without a 67
legitimate excuse fails to participate in seventy-two 68
consecutive hours of the learning opportunities offered to the 69
student. 70
(7) The ways by which the school will achieve racial and 71
ethnic balance reflective of the community it serves; 72
(8) Requirements for financial audits by the auditor of 73

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

state. The contract shall require financial records of the 74
school to be maintained in the same manner as are financial 75
records of school districts, pursuant to rules of the auditor of 76
state. Audits shall be conducted in accordance with section 77
117.10 of the Revised Code. 78
(9) An addendum to the contract outlining the facilities 79
to be used that contains at least the following information: 80
(a) A detailed description of each facility used for 81
instructional purposes; 82
(b) The annual costs associated with leasing each facility 83
that are paid by or on behalf of the school; 84
(c) The annual mortgage principal and interest payments 85
that are paid by the school; 86
(d) The name of the lender or landlord, identified as 87
such, and the lender's or landlord's relationship to the 88
operator, if any. 89
(10) Qualifications of employees, including both of the 90
following: 91
(a) A requirement that the school's classroom teachers be 92
licensed in accordance with sections 3319.22 to 3319.31 of the 93
Revised Code, except that a community school may engage 94
noncertificated persons to teach up to twelve hours or forty 95
hours per week pursuant to section 3319.301 of the Revised Code; 96
(b) A prohibition against the school employing an 97
individual described in section 3314.104 of the Revised Code in 98
any position. 99
(11) That the school will comply with the following 100
requirements: 101

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

(a) The school will provide learning opportunities to a 102
minimum of twenty-five students for a minimum of nine hundred 103
twenty hours per school year. 104
(b) The governing authority will purchase liability 105
insurance, or otherwise provide for the potential liability of 106
the school. 107
(c) The school will be nonsectarian in its programs, 108
admission policies, employment practices, and all other 109
operations, and will not be operated by a sectarian school or 110
religious institution. 111
(d) The school will comply with sections 9.90, 9.91, 112
109.65, 121.22, 149.43, 2151.357, 2151.421, 2313.19, 3301.0710, 113
3301.0711, 3301.0712, 3301.0715, 3301.0729, 3301.948, 3302.037, 114
3313.472, 3313.473, 3313.474, 3313.50, 3313.539, 3313.5310, 115
3313.5318, 3313.5319, 3313.608, 3313.609, 3313.6012, 3313.6013, 116
3313.6014, 3313.6020, 3313.6024, 3313.6026, 3313.6028, 117
3313.6029, 3313.643, 3313.648, 3313.6411, 3313.6413, 3313.66, 118
3313.661, 3313.662, 3313.666, 3313.667, 3313.668, 3313.669, 119
3313.6610, 3313.6612, 3313.67, 3313.671, 3313.672, 3313.673, 120
3313.69, 3313.71, 3313.716, 3313.718, 3313.719, 3313.7112, 121
3313.7117, 3313.721, 3313.753, 3313.80, 3313.814, 3313.816, 122
3313.817, 3313.818, 3313.819, 3313.86, 3313.89, 3313.96, 123
3319.073, 3319.077, 3319.078, 3319.0812, 3319.238, 3319.318, 124
3319.321, 3319.324, 3319.39, 3319.391, 3319.393, 3319.41, 125
3319.46, 3319.90, 3319.614, 3320.01, 3320.02, 3320.03, 3320.04, 126
3321.01, 3321.041, 3321.13, 3321.14, 3321.141, 3321.17, 3321.18, 127
3321.19, 3322.20, 3322.24, 3323.251, 3327.10, 4111.17, 4113.52, 128
5502.262, 5502.703, and 5705.391 and Chapters 117., 1347., 129
2744., 3365., 3742., 4112., 4123., 4141., and 4167. of the 130
Revised Code as if it were a school district and will comply 131

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

with section 3301.0714 of the Revised Code in the manner 132
specified in section 3314.17 of the Revised Code. 133
(e) The school shall comply with Chapter 102. and section 134
2921.42 of the Revised Code. 135
(f) The school will comply with sections 3313.61, 136
3313.611, 3313.614, 3313.617, 3313.618, and 3313.6114 of the 137
Revised Code, except that for students who enter ninth grade for 138
the first time before July 1, 2010, the requirement in sections 139
3313.61 and 3313.611 of the Revised Code that a person must 140
successfully complete the curriculum in any high school prior to 141
receiving a high school diploma may be met by completing the 142
curriculum adopted by the governing authority of the community 143
school rather than the curriculum specified in Title XXXIII of 144
the Revised Code or any rules of the department. Beginning with 145
students who enter ninth grade for the first time on or after 146
July 1, 2010, the requirement in sections 3313.61 and 3313.611 147
of the Revised Code that a person must successfully complete the 148
curriculum of a high school prior to receiving a high school 149
diploma shall be met by completing the requirements prescribed 150
in section 3313.6027 and division (C) of section 3313.603 of the 151
Revised Code, unless the person qualifies under division (D) or 152
(F) of that section. Each school shall comply with the plan for 153
awarding high school credit based on demonstration of subject 154
area competency, and beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, 155
with the updated plan that permits students enrolled in seventh 156
and eighth grade to meet curriculum requirements based on 157
subject area competency adopted by the department under 158
divisions (J)(1) and (2) of section 3313.603 of the Revised 159
Code. Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, the school shall 160
comply with the framework for granting units of high school 161
credit to students who demonstrate subject area competency 162

S. B. No. 73 Page 7 As Introduced

through work-based learning experiences, internships, or 163
cooperative education developed by the department under division 164
(J)(3) of section 3313.603 of the Revised Code. 165
(g) The school governing authority will submit within four 166
months after the end of each school year a report of its 167
activities and progress in meeting the goals and standards of 168
divisions (A)(3) and (4) of this section and its financial 169
status to the sponsor and the parents of all students enrolled 170
in the school. 171
(h) The school, unless it is an internet- or computer- 172
based community school, will comply with section 3313.801 of the 173
Revised Code as if it were a school district. 174
(i) If the school is the recipient of moneys from a grant 175
awarded under the federal race to the top program, Division (A), 176
Title XIV, Sections 14005 and 14006 of the "American Recovery 177
and Reinvestment Act of 2009," Pub. L. No. 111-5, 123 Stat. 115, 178
the school will pay teachers based upon performance in 179
accordance with section 3317.141 and will comply with section 180
3319.111 of the Revised Code as if it were a school district. 181
(j) If the school operates a preschool program that is 182
licensed by the department under sections 3301.52 to 3301.59 of 183
the Revised Code, the school shall comply with sections 3301.50 184
to 3301.59 of the Revised Code and the minimum standards for 185
preschool programs prescribed in rules adopted by the department 186
of children and youth under section 3301.53 of the Revised Code. 187
(k) The school will comply with sections 3313.6021 and 188
3313.6023 of the Revised Code as if it were a school district 189
unless it is either of the following: 190

(i) An internet- or computer-based community school; 191

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

(ii) A community school in which a majority of the 192
enrolled students are children with disabilities as described in 193
division (B)(2) of section 3314.35 of the Revised Code. 194
(l) The school will comply with section 3321.191 of the 195
Revised Code, unless it is an internet- or computer-based 196
community school that is subject to section 3314.261 of the 197
Revised Code. 198
(12) Arrangements for providing health and other benefits 199
to employees; 200
(13) The length of the contract, which shall begin at the 201
beginning of an academic year. No contract shall exceed five 202
years unless such contract has been renewed pursuant to division 203
(E) of this section. 204
(14) The governing authority of the school, which shall be 205
responsible for carrying out the provisions of the contract; 206
(15) A financial plan detailing an estimated school budget 207
for each year of the period of the contract and specifying the 208
total estimated per pupil expenditure amount for each such year. 209
(16) Requirements and procedures regarding the disposition 210
of employees of the school in the event the contract is 211
terminated or not renewed pursuant to section 3314.07 of the 212
Revised Code; 213
(17) Whether the school is to be created by converting all 214
or part of an existing public school or educational service 215
center building or is to be a new start-up school, and if it is 216
a converted public school or service center building, 217
specification of any duties or responsibilities of an employer 218
that the board of education or service center governing board 219
that operated the school or building before conversion is 220

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

delegating to the governing authority of the community school 221
with respect to all or any specified group of employees provided 222
the delegation is not prohibited by a collective bargaining 223
agreement applicable to such employees; 224
(18) Provisions establishing procedures for resolving 225
disputes or differences of opinion between the sponsor and the 226
governing authority of the community school; 227
(19) A provision requiring the governing authority to 228
adopt a policy regarding the admission of students who reside 229
outside the district in which the school is located. That policy 230
shall comply with the admissions procedures specified in 231
sections 3314.06 and 3314.061 of the Revised Code and, at the 232
sole discretion of the authority, shall do one of the following: 233
(a) Prohibit the enrollment of students who reside outside 234
the district in which the school is located; 235
(b) Permit the enrollment of students who reside in 236
districts adjacent to the district in which the school is 237
located; 238
(c) Permit the enrollment of students who reside in any 239
other district in the state. 240
(20) A provision recognizing the authority of the 241
department to take over the sponsorship of the school in 242
accordance with the provisions of division (C) of section 243
3314.015 of the Revised Code; 244
(21) A provision recognizing the sponsor's authority to 245
assume the operation of a school under the conditions specified 246
in division (B) of section 3314.073 of the Revised Code; 247
(22) A provision recognizing both of the following: 248

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

	(a） The authority of public health and safety officials to	249
	inspect the facilities of the school and to order the facilities	250
		251
	compliance with health and safety laws and regulations;	252
	(b） The authority of the department as the community	253
	school oversight body to suspend the operation of the school	254
	under section 3314.072 of the Revised Code if the department has	255
	evidence of conditions or violations of law at the school that	256
		257
	ons ayea oi sasngar rosuods aua pue saakotdua pue sauapnis	258
action.		259
	(23) A description of the learning opportunities that will	260
	be offered to students including both classroom-based and non-	261
	classroom-based learning opportunities that is in compliance	262
		263
department under division (H)(2） of section 3314.08 of the		264
Revised Code;		265
	(24) The school will comply with sections 3302.04 and	266
	3302.04l of the Revised Code, except that any action required to	267
	be taken by a school district pursuant to those sections shall	268
be taken by the sponsor of the school.		269
	(25) Beginning in the 2006-2007 school year， the school	270
		271
	September each school year, unless the mission of the school as	272
	specified under division (A)(2） of this section is solely to	273
	serve dropouts． In its initial year of operation， if the school	274
fails to open by the thirtieth day of September, or within one		275
	year after the adoption of the contract pursuant to division (D)	276
	of section 3314.02 of the Revised Code if the mission of the	277
	school is solely to serve dropouts, the contract shall be void.	278

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

(26) Whether the school's governing authority is planning 279
to seek designation for the school as a STEM school equivalent 280
under section 3326.032 of the Revised Code; 281
(27) That the school's attendance and participation 282
policies will be available for public inspection; 283
(28) That the school's attendance and participation 284
records shall be made available to the department, auditor of 285
state, and school's sponsor to the extent permitted under and in 286
accordance with the "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act 287
of 1974," 88 Stat. 571, 20 U.S.C. 1232g, as amended, and any 288
regulations promulgated under that act, and section 3319.321 of 289
the Revised Code; 290
(29) If a school operates using the blended learning 291
model, as defined in section 3301.079 of the Revised Code, all 292
of the following information: 293
(a) An indication of what blended learning model or models 294
will be used; 295
(b) A description of how student instructional needs will 296
be determined and documented; 297
(c) The method to be used for determining competency, 298
granting credit, and promoting students to a higher grade level; 299
(d) The school's attendance requirements, including how 300
the school will document participation in learning 301
opportunities; 302
(e) A statement describing how student progress will be 303
monitored; 304
(f) A statement describing how private student data will 305
be protected; 306

S. B. No. 73 Page 12 As Introduced

(g) A description of the professional development 307
activities that will be offered to teachers. 308
(30) A provision requiring that all moneys the school's 309
operator loans to the school, including facilities loans or cash 310
flow assistance, must be accounted for, documented, and bear 311
interest at a fair market rate; 312
(31) A provision requiring that, if the governing 313
authority contracts with an attorney, accountant, or entity 314
specializing in audits, the attorney, accountant, or entity 315
shall be independent from the operator with which the school has 316
contracted. 317
(32) A provision requiring the governing authority to 318
adopt an enrollment and attendance policy that requires a 319
student's parent to notify the community school in which the 320
student is enrolled when there is a change in the location of 321
the parent's or student's primary residence. 322
(33) A provision requiring the governing authority to 323
adopt a student residence and address verification policy for 324
students enrolling in or attending the school. 325
(B) The community school shall also submit to the sponsor 326
a comprehensive plan for the school. The plan shall specify the 327
following: 328
(1) The process by which the governing authority of the 329
school will be selected in the future; 330
(2) The management and administration of the school; 331
(3) If the community school is a currently existing public 332
school or educational service center building, alternative 333
arrangements for current public school students who choose not 334

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

to attend the converted school and for teachers who choose not 335
to teach in the school or building after conversion; 336
(4) The instructional program and educational philosophy 337
of the school; 338
(5) Internal financial controls. 339
When submitting the plan under this division, the school 340
shall also submit copies of all policies and procedures 341
regarding internal financial controls adopted by the governing 342
authority of the school. 343
(C) A contract entered into under section 3314.02 of the 344
Revised Code between a sponsor and the governing authority of a 345
community school may provide for the community school governing 346
authority to make payments to the sponsor, which is hereby 347
authorized to receive such payments as set forth in the contract 348
between the governing authority and the sponsor. The total 349
amount of such payments for monitoring, oversight, and technical 350
assistance of the school shall not exceed three per cent of the 351
total amount of payments for operating expenses that the school 352
receives from the state. 353
(D) The contract shall specify the duties of the sponsor 354
which shall be in accordance with the written agreement entered 355
into with the department under division (B) of section 3314.015 356
of the Revised Code and shall include the following: 357
(1) Monitor the community school's compliance with all 358
laws applicable to the school and with the terms of the 359
contract; 360
(2) Monitor and evaluate the academic and fiscal 361
performance and the organization and operation of the community 362
school on at least an annual basis; 363

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

(3) Provide technical assistance to the community school 364
in complying with laws applicable to the school and terms of the 365
contract; 366
(4) Take steps to intervene in the school's operation to 367
correct problems in the school's overall performance, declare 368
the school to be on probationary status pursuant to section 369
3314.073 of the Revised Code, suspend the operation of the 370
school pursuant to section 3314.072 of the Revised Code, or 371
terminate the contract of the school pursuant to section 3314.07 372
of the Revised Code as determined necessary by the sponsor; 373
(5) Have in place a plan of action to be undertaken in the 374
event the community school experiences financial difficulties or 375
closes prior to the end of a school year. 376
(E) Upon the expiration of a contract entered into under 377
this section, the sponsor of a community school may, with the 378
approval of the governing authority of the school, renew that 379
contract for a period of time determined by the sponsor, but not 380
ending earlier than the end of any school year, if the sponsor 381
finds that the school's compliance with applicable laws and 382
terms of the contract and the school's progress in meeting the 383
academic goals prescribed in the contract have been 384
satisfactory. Any contract that is renewed under this division 385
remains subject to the provisions of sections 3314.07, 3314.072, 386
and 3314.073 of the Revised Code. 387
(F) If a community school fails to open for operation 388
within one year after the contract entered into under this 389
section is adopted pursuant to division (D) of section 3314.02 390
of the Revised Code or permanently closes prior to the 391
expiration of the contract, the contract shall be void and the 392
school shall not enter into a contract with any other sponsor. A 393

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

school shall not be considered permanently closed because the 394
operations of the school have been suspended pursuant to section 395
3314.072 of the Revised Code. 396
Sec. 3326.11. Each science, technology, engineering, and 397
mathematics school established under this chapter and its 398
governing body shall comply with sections 9.90, 9.91, 109.65, 399
121.22, 149.43, 2151.357, 2151.421, 2313.19, 2921.42, 2921.43, 400
3301.0714, 3301.0715, 3301.0729, 3301.948, 3302.037, 3313.14, 401
3313.15, 3313.16, 3313.18, 3313.201, 3313.26, 3313.472, 402
3313.473, 3313.474, 3313.48, 3313.481, 3313.482, 3313.50, 403
3313.539, 3313.5310, 3313.5318, 3313.5319, 3313.608, 3313.6012, 404
3313.6013, 3313.6014, 3313.6020, 3313.6021, 3313.6023, 405
3313.6024, 3313.6026, 3313.6028, 3313.6029, 3313.61, 3313.611, 406
3313.614, 3313.615, 3313.617, 3313.618, 3313.6114, 3313.643, 407
3313.648, 3313.6411, 3313.6413, 3313.66, 3313.661, 3313.662, 408
3313.666, 3313.667, 3313.668, 3313.669, 3313.6610, 3313.6612, 409
3313.67, 3313.671, 3313.672, 3313.673, 3313.69, 3313.71, 410
3313.716, 3313.717, 3313.718, 3313.719, 3313.7112, 3313.7117, 411
3313.721, 3313.753, 3313.80, 3313.801, 3313.814, 3313.816, 412
3313.817, 3313.818, 3313.819, 3313.86, 3313.89, 3313.96, 413
3319.073, 3319.077, 3319.078, 3319.0812, 3319.21, 3319.238, 414
3319.318, 3319.32, 3319.321, 3319.324, 3319.35, 3319.39, 415
3319.391, 3319.393, 3319.41, 3319.45, 3319.46, 3319.90, 416
3319.614, 3320.01, 3320.02, 3320.03, 3320.04, 3321.01, 3321.041, 417
3321.05, 3321.13, 3321.14, 3321.141, 3321.17, 3321.18, 3321.19, 418
3321.191, 3322.20, 3322.24, 3323.251, 3327.10, 4111.17, 4113.52, 419
5502.262, 5502.703, and 5705.391 and Chapters 102., 117., 1347., 420
2744., 3307., 3309., 3365., 3742., 4112., 4123., 4141., and 421
4167. of the Revised Code as if it were a school district. 422
Sec. 3328.24. A college-preparatory boarding school 423
established under this chapter and its board of trustees shall 424

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

comply with sections 102.02, 3301.0710, 3301.0711, 3301.0712, 3301.0714, 3301.0729, 3301.948, 3302.037, 3313.474, 3313.5318, 3313.5319, 3313.6013, 3313.6021, 3313.6023, 3313.6024, 3313.6026, 3313.6029, 3313.617, 3313.618, 3313.6114, 3313.6411, 3313.6413, 3313.668, 3313.669, 3313.6610, 3313.6612, 3313.717, 3313.7112, 3313.7117, 3313.721, 3313.753, 3313.89, 3319.073, 3319.077, 3319.078, 3319.318, 3319.324, 3319.39, 3319.391, 3319.393, 3319.46, 3320.01, 3320.02, 3320.03, 3320.04, 3323.251, and 5502.262, and Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code as if the school were a school district and the school's board of trustees were a district board of education.

Sec. 4112.01. (A) As used in this chapter:

(1) "Person" includes one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, organizations, corporations, legal representatives, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, receivers, and other organized groups of persons. "Person" also includes, but is not limited to, any owner, lessor, assignor, builder, manager, broker, salesperson, appraiser, agent, employee, lending institution, and the state and all political subdivisions, authorities, agencies, boards, and commissions of the state.

(2) "Employer" means the state, any political subdivision 446
of the state, or a person employing four or more persons within 447
the state, and any agent of the state, political subdivision, or 448
person. 449
(3) "Employee" means an individual employed by any 450
employer but does not include any individual employed in the 451
domestic service of any person. 452

(4) "Labor organization" includes any organization that

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

exists, in whole or in part, for the purpose of collective 454
bargaining or of dealing with employers concerning grievances, 455
terms or conditions of employment, or other mutual aid or 456
protection in relation to employment. 457
(5) "Employment agency" includes any person regularly 458
undertaking, with or without compensation, to procure 459
opportunities to work or to procure, recruit, refer, or place 460
employees. 461
(6) "Commission" means the Ohio civil rights commission 462
created by section 4112.03 of the Revised Code. 463
(7) "Discriminate" includes segregate or separate. 464
(8) "Unlawful discriminatory practice" means any act 465
prohibited by section 4112.02, 4112.021, or 4112.022 of the 466
Revised Code. 467
(9) "Place of public accommodation" means any inn, 468
restaurant, eating house, barbershop, public conveyance by air, 469
land, or water, theater, store, other place for the sale of 470
merchandise, or any other place of public accommodation or 471
amusement of which the accommodations, advantages, facilities, 472
or privileges are available to the public. 473
(10) "Housing accommodations" includes any building or 474
structure, or portion of a building or structure, that is used 475
or occupied or is intended, arranged, or designed to be used or 476
occupied as the home residence, dwelling, dwelling unit, or 477
sleeping place of one or more individuals, groups, or families 478
whether or not living independently of each other; and any 479
vacant land offered for sale or lease. "Housing accommodations" 480
also includes any housing accommodations held or offered for 481
sale or rent by a real estate broker, salesperson, or agent, by 482

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

any other person pursuant to authorization of the owner, by the 483
owner, or by the owner's legal representative. 484
(11) "Restrictive covenant" means any specification 485
limiting the transfer, rental, lease, or other use of any 486
housing accommodations because of race, color, religion, sex, 487
military status, familial status, national origin, disability, 488
or ancestry, or any limitation based upon affiliation with or 489
approval by any person, directly or indirectly, employing race, 490
color, religion, sex, military status, familial status, national 491
origin, disability, or ancestry as a condition of affiliation or 492
approval. 493
(12) "Burial lot" means any lot for the burial of deceased 494
persons within any public burial ground or cemetery, including, 495
but not limited to, cemeteries owned and operated by municipal 496
corporations, townships, or companies or associations 497
incorporated for cemetery purposes. 498
(13) "Disability" means a physical or mental impairment 499
that substantially limits one or more major life activities, 500
including the functions of caring for one's self, performing 501
manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, 502
learning, and working; a record of a physical or mental 503
impairment; or being regarded as having a physical or mental 504
impairment. 505
(14) Except as otherwise provided in section 4112.021 of 506
the Revised Code, "age" means an individual aged forty years or 507
older. 508
(15) "Familial status" means either of the following: 509
(a) One or more individuals who are under eighteen years 510
of age and who are domiciled with a parent or guardian having 511

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

legal custody of the individual or domiciled, with the written 512
permission of the parent or guardian having legal custody, with 513
a designee of the parent or guardian; 514
(b) Any person who is pregnant or in the process of 515
securing legal custody of any individual who is under eighteen 516
years of age. 517
(16)(a) Except as provided in division (A)(16)(b) of this 518
section, "physical or mental impairment" includes any of the 519
following: 520
(i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic 521
disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the 522
following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special 523
sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; 524
cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genito-urinary; hemic 525
and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; 526
(ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, including, but 527
not limited to, intellectual disability, organic brain syndrome, 528
emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities; 529
(iii) Diseases and conditions, including, but not limited 530
to, orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, 531
cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple 532
sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, human 533
immunodeficiency virus infection, intellectual disability, 534
emotional illness, drug addiction, and alcoholism. 535
(b) "Physical or mental impairment" does not include any 536
of the following: 537
(i) Homosexuality and bisexuality; 538

(ii) Transvestism, transsexualism, pedophilia, 539

S. B. No. 73 Page 20 As Introduced

exhibitionism, voyeurism, gender identity disorders not 540
resulting from physical impairments, or other sexual behavior 541
disorders; 542
(iii) Compulsive gambling, kleptomania, or pyromania; 543
(iv) Psychoactive substance use disorders resulting from 544
the current illegal use of a controlled substance or the current 545
use of alcoholic beverages. 546
(17) "Dwelling unit" means a single unit of residence for 547
a family of one or more persons. 548
(18) "Common use areas" means rooms, spaces, or elements 549
inside or outside a building that are made available for the use 550
of residents of the building or their guests, and includes, but 551
is not limited to, hallways, lounges, lobbies, laundry rooms, 552
refuse rooms, mail rooms, recreational areas, and passageways 553
among and between buildings. 554
(19) "Public use areas" means interior or exterior rooms 555
or spaces of a privately or publicly owned building that are 556
made available to the general public. 557
(20) "Controlled substance" has the same meaning as in 558
section 3719.01 of the Revised Code. 559
(21) "Disabled tenant" means a tenant or prospective 560
tenant who is a person with a disability. 561
(22) "Military status" means a person's status in "service 562
in the uniformed services" as defined in section 5923.05 of the 563
Revised Code. 564
(23) "Aggrieved person" includes both of the following: 565
(a) Any person who claims to have been injured by any 566

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

unlawful discriminatory practice described in division (H) of 567
section 4112.02 of the Revised Code; 568
(b) Any person who believes that the person will be 569
injured by any unlawful discriminatory practice described in 570
division (H) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code that is 571
about to occur. 572
(24) "Unlawful discriminatory practice relating to 573
employment" means both of the following: 574
(a) An unlawful discriminatory practice that is prohibited 575
by division (A), (B), (C), (D), (E), or (F) of section 4112.02 576
of the Revised Code; 577
(b) An unlawful discriminatory practice that is prohibited 578
by division (I) or (J) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code 579
that is related to employment. 580
(25) "Notice of right to sue" means a notice sent by the 581
commission to a person who files a charge under section 4112.051 582
of the Revised Code that states that the person who filed the 583
charge may bring a civil action related to the charge pursuant 584
to section 4112.052 or 4112.14 of the Revised Code, in 585
accordance with section 4112.052 of the Revised Code. 586
(26) "Race" includes traits associated with an 587
individual's race, including hair texture and protective hair 588
styles, such as braids, locks, and twists. 589
(B) For the purposes of divisions (A) to (F) of section 590
4112.02 of the Revised Code, the terms "because of sex" and "on 591
the basis of sex" include, but are not limited to, because of or 592
on the basis of pregnancy, any illness arising out of and 593
occurring during the course of a pregnancy, childbirth, or 594
related medical conditions. Women affected by pregnancy, 595

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

childbirth, or related medical conditions shall be treated the 596
same for all employment-related purposes, including receipt of 597
benefits under fringe benefit programs, as other persons not so 598
affected but similar in their ability or inability to work, and 599
nothing in division (B) of section 4111.17 of the Revised Code 600
shall be interpreted to permit otherwise. This division shall 601
not be construed to require an employer to pay for health 602
insurance benefits for abortion, except where the life of the 603
mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or 604
except where medical complications have arisen from the 605
abortion, provided that nothing in this division precludes an 606
employer from providing abortion benefits or otherwise affects 607
bargaining agreements in regard to abortion. 608
Section 2. That existing sections 3314.03, 3326.11, 609
3328.24, and 4112.01 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed. 610
Section 3. This act shall be known as the Creating a 611
Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act. 612
Section 4. The General Assembly, applying the principle 613
stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that 614
amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of 615
simultaneous operation, finds that the following sections, 616
presented in this act as composites of the sections as amended 617
by the acts indicated, are the resulting versions of the 618
sections in effect prior to the effective date of the sections 619
as presented in this act: 620
Section 3314.03 of the Revised Code as amended by H.B. 8, 621
H.B. 214, H.B. 250, S.B. 168, S.B. 104, S.B. 208, and S.B. 234, 622
all of the 135th General Assembly. 623

Section 3326.11 of the Revised Code as amended by H.B. 8,

S. B. No. 73 As Introduced

H.B. 47, H.B. 214, S.B. 104, S.B. 168, S.B. 208, and S.B. 234, 625
all of the 135th General Assembly. 626
Section 3328.24 of the Revised Code as amended by both 627
S.B. 208 and S.B. 234 of the 135th General Assembly. 628