Republican lawmakers back dozens of bills that target diversity efforts
JACKSON, Miss. — Diversity initiatives would be banned from universities and public institutions under a slate of bills pending in Republican-led legislatures, with lawmakers counting on the issue resonating with voters in this election year.
Already this year, Republican lawmakers have proposed about 50 bills in 20 states that would restrict initiatives on diversity, equity and inclusion — known as DEI — or require their public disclosure.
That is the second year Republican-led state governments have targeted DEI. This year’s bills, as well as executive orders and agency directives, again focus heavily on higher education. But the legislation also would limit DEI in K-12 schools, state government and pension investments. Some bills would bar financial institutions from discriminating against those who refuse to participate in DEI programs.
Meanwhile, Democrats have filed two dozen bills in 11 states that would require or promote DEI initiatives. The bills cover a broad spectrum, including measures to reverse Florida’s ban on DEI in higher education and measures to require DEI considerations in K-12 school curricula in Washington state.
The Supreme Court’s June decision ending affirmative action at universities has created a new legal landscape around diversity programs.
But DEI’s emergence as a rallying cry has its roots on campus, with Republican opponents saying the programs are discriminatory and promote left-wing ideology. Democratic supporters say the programs are necessary for ensuring institutions meet the needs of increasingly diverse student populations.
Republican Oklahoma Sen. Rob Standridge, who has authored four bills aiming to hollow out DEI programs in the state, said it has become a salient campaign theme.
“I think it’s become more of a political thing,” Standridge said. “In other words, people are using it in their campaigns in a positive way. So, now all of a sudden, maybe the people that didn’t care before are like, well, wait a minute, I can use this on a flier next year. And Trump brings light to it, too.”
The organizations that help power the conservative agenda say DEI’s emergence at the center of political debate makes their crusade against it ripe for expansion.
“This has opened a window of opportunity, and we don’t want the window to close,” Mike Gonzalez, a fellow at powerful conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, said in an interview. “We want to meet this window with a robust policy agenda.”