People of color now have more protections at work. Gov. Tim Walz has signed the CROWN Act, whose name stands for "Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair." It prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and type. The bill added a definition of race to the Minnesota Human Rights Act that includes associated hair styles such as braids, twists and locs. Fourteen other states have passed similar laws. Minnesota's bill, led by Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, provides clarity to employers and grounds for the Minnesota Department of Human Rights to investigate hair-based discrimination. "We want to create a clear and great work environment" so people can thrive, Champion said, "without feeling like they're ostracized if they decide to wear their natural hair and not use a perm or not use a straightening comb." It is important to have welcoming work and school environments for Minnesotans, especially as the makeup of the state and country changes, he said. The law d...