Florida, North Dakota and Tennessee Governors Sign Anti-DEI Legislation, and Anti-DEI Bill Passes Texas Senate
Several bills that oppose Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at
institutions of higher education have either passed state legislatures or are
moving through the legislative process.
Florida
Governor, Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill that would implement a number of provisions that
oppose DEI initiatives. Among those provisions is a ban on public institutions
using federal or state funds to promote, support or maintain any programs or campus
activities that advocate for DEI or promote or engage in political or social activism,
as defined by rules of the State Board of Education and regulations of the Board
of Governors. The bill also prohibits a state university from requiring any statement,
pledge or oath other than to uphold general and federal law, the U.S. Constitution
and the State Constitution as a part of any admissions, hiring, employment, promotion,
tenure, disciplinary or evaluation process. A complete summary of the bill has been posted on the state legislature’s website.
In North Dakota, Gov. Doug Burgum (R) signed a bill that prohibits
institutions of higher education from requiring employees and students from participating
in trainings that include specified divisive concepts that address topics of race and gender.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) signed a bill that authorizes a student or employee of a public institution
of higher education to file a report of an alleged violation related to a restriction
on divisive concepts. The bill also requires institutions to ensure that its employees
whose job duties include diversity, equity or inclusion are to be devoted to supporting
student academic achievement and workforce readiness, or other related learning
support activities necessary for the academic success of all students. A complete
summary of the bill can be found on the bill page linked to above.
The Tennessee General Assembly has sent a separate bill to Gov. Lee that, if signed, would prohibit a
public institution of higher education, as well as K-12 institutions, from requiring
an educator, faculty member or employee to complete or participate in implicit bias training.
Finally, in Texas, the state Senate has passed a bill that prohibits institution
of higher education from establishing or maintaining a DEI office or hiring or
assigning an employee of the institution, or contract with a third party, to perform
the duties of a DEI office. The bill also prohibits an institution from compelling,
requiring, inducing or soliciting any person to provide a diversity, equity and
inclusion statement or give preferential consideration to any person based on
the provision of a diversity, equity and inclusion statement. A complete summary of the bill is available. |
