WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 115

AN ACT TO AMEND THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON WEIGHT, HEIGHT, OR BODY SIZE.

153rd General Assembly (2025-2026) Introduced by Darius Brown and 9 co-sponsors

Delaware bill would prohibit discrimination based on weight, height, and body size across employment, housing, and public accommodations to protect individuals from appearance-based bias.

Motion to Release Failed
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 115

Legislative bill overview

HB 115 would amend Delaware law to add weight, height, and body size as protected classes in anti-discrimination statutes, similar to existing protections based on race, sex, or disability. This would prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and other areas based on these physical characteristics.

Why is this important

This bill would expand civil rights protections to individuals who face discrimination based on appearance-related characteristics. It could affect hiring practices, housing decisions, and access to services, while also potentially influencing workplace culture and business policies around physical appearance standards.

Potential points of contention

  • Business compliance concerns: Employers and service providers may worry about unclear standards for enforcement and potential litigation costs, particularly regarding how subjective terms like "body size" would be legally defined and applied
  • Medical versus discriminatory distinctions: Debate over whether health-related decisions (such as insurance underwriting or bona fide occupational requirements) could be wrongly classified as discrimination, and how to distinguish legitimate medical considerations from bias
  • Scope and enforceability: Questions about whether protections should apply equally in all contexts or whether certain industries (modeling, entertainment, military) might warrant exceptions

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.