Diversity, equity and inclusion programs moved closer to being banned at Kentucky colleges and universities after new legislation recently cleared its first hurdle.
House Bill 4, which supporters say would end the policy at postsecondary institutions and make colleges and universities more accessible, passed the House Postsecondary Education Committee and now heads to the full House of Representatives.
Rep. Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy, said the bill would “dismantle the failed and misguided DEI bureaucracies that have made our colleges more divided, more expensive and less tolerant.”
The bill would:
• Prohibit differential treatment or benefits to an individual based on religion, race, sex, color or national origin in hiring, admissions, scholarships, contracts and scholarships.
• Only allow an investigation of a bias incident if the general counsel authorizes it and it meets certain criteria.
• Prohibit expending resources to establish or maintain a diversity, equity or inclusion office, training or initiative.
• Prohibit students from being required to enroll or complete an academic course that seeks to indoctrinate participants with a discriminatory concept.
• Prohibit students, faculty or staff from being required or incentivized to participate in diversity, equity and inclusion training.
The state auditor of public accounts would be required to review each institution every four years to ensure compliance. Schools would have 180 days to fix issues or not receive funding increases in the following fiscal year.
Decker wants the bill to stop a 14-year enrollment drop from low-income and underrepresented students, but critics said the policy isn’t the cause.
“If the DEI initiatives are leaving some folks out, why don’t we make these more inclusive rather than just get rid of them?” said Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville.
Others said Kentucky’s history of discrimination should be taken into account.
“The historical indicators of what has occurred, particularly with people who look like me and other protected classes in our society – it’s a really serious problem.” said Rep. George Brown Jr., D-Lexington. “And I think we’re trivializing it and that we’re trying to say that this does not matter.”
