HB 6515 Known as the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), this law prohibits discrimination based on hairstyles that are commonly associated with people of color, such as afros, Bantu knots, braids, cornrows, dreadlocks, and twists. A 2019 study found that Black women are 80 percent more likely to alter their natural hair to accommodate social norms or work expectations and 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from work because of their hairstyles. Connecticut is the 8^th state to ban discrimination on the basis of natural hair or texture.

HB 6516 addresses specific inequities regarding taxation and unfair burdens on the poor.

Because of the pandemic, many Connecticut residents who normally commute to Massachusetts or New York have been working from home. This law prevents the potential for "double taxation" through a new state income tax credit for the 2020 tax year for any resident who paid income tax to any other state that requires nonresident employees to pay tax on income earned while working remotely from Connecticut due to COVID-19.

The law also repeals the unfair practice of seeking repayment of state assistance by our family members, friends or neighbors who may have needed help in the past but have since lifted themselves out of poverty. The hurtful policy, known as a "welfare lien," treats public assistance as debt and is a huge roadblock to upward mobility and home-ownership.

Finally, HB 6516 modifies the state's PILOT program formula (payment in lieu of taxes) that will bring economic equity to many of our cities and towns that are home to non-taxable properties.

HB 6514 offers incentives for the growing industry of data centers to locate in Connecticut. Data centers house computer networks, hardware and data storage systems. This bill will help bring a new industry to our state and spark job and economic growth.