Texas Lawmakers Pass Ban On Diversity Programs At Public Colleges—Possibly Joining Florida

Forbes Business Breaking Texas Lawmakers Pass Ban On Diversity Programs At Public Colleges—Possibly Joining Florida Molly Bohannon Forbes Staff I cover breaking news. Following May 29, 2023, 05:05pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline Legislators in Texas sent a bill to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk Sunday that—if signed—would ban diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at public universities, just weeks after Gov.

Ron DeSantis (R) in Florida signed a similar bill into law. Texas legislators sent a bill to the governor’s desk Sunday that, if signed, would ban DEI . .

. [+] initiatives in public higher education. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Copyright 2023 The Associated Press.

All rights reserved Key Facts The bill seeks to make Texas universities get rid of their DEI offices and programs—along with any mandatory diversity trainings—and would require all hiring practices be “color-blind and sex-neutral,” per the bill text . To enforce compliance, the bill states that universities cannot spend state money appropriated to them until they submit a report certifying the school’s compliance with the new law, which takes effect in the spring semester of the 2023-2024 school year. A previous version of the bill sought to require universities to reassign current DEI office staff to new, similarly-paid positions, but in order to get the bill through before the end of the Texas state legislative session, that requirement was removed and the bill now states that universities can provide letters of recommendation for displaced employees.

What To Watch For Though the session ends May 29 for Texas legislators, Abbott has until June 18 to sign the bill into law. Abbott has not commented on the bill since legislators pushed it to his desk over the weekend, but in the past, his chief of staff directed people to not use diversity, equity and inclusion policies in hiring out of concern that it violates federal and state employment laws. Key Background Presidential candidate and Florida Gov.

DeSantis signed a similar bill into effect earlier in May to stop public colleges from funding diversity, equity and inclusion programs, though that bill additionally limited how race can be discussed in university classrooms. The push follows recent efforts in several GOP-led states to restrict how race, sexuality and other topics are discussed. When signing Florida’s bill, DeSantis said that DEI “has no place in our public institutions” and students who want to learn about “niche subjects” can do so elsewhere because “Florida’s getting out of that game.

” After DeSantis signed the law, along with a number of other laws restricting things like critical race theory in the classroom, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People issued a travel advisory for Florida in response to “DeSantis’ aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools. ” Unlike Florida’s bill, the Texas legislation doesn’t impact the academic curriculum or offerings available; it also doesn’t impact the admissions process, operation of student organizations or faculty research. Since its introduction, the bill has been opposed by many faculty and students statewide, though the Texas Tribune reported that university leaders have remained quiet about the potential impact of the bill.

Cheif Critic A group of Texas college students known as Texas Students for DEI said in a statement to the Texas Tribune that the lawmakers behind the decision “fundamentally misunderstand the role of DEI,” which they argued “represents a dedication to create and maintain an open and supportive environment for all students regardless of background. ” Further Reading Texas lawmakers find consensus on bill banning diversity, equity and inclusion offices in public universities (Texas Tribune) Texas lawmakers send anti-DEI bill to Abbott’s desk (The Hill) DeSantis Signs Bill Banning Public Colleges From Funding Diversity Programs ( Forbes ) Follow me on Twitter . Send me a secure tip .

Molly Bohannon Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.