FRANKFORT—The House Education Committee on Thursday overhauled and expanded Senate-approved limits on diversity programs without hearing from the bill's Senate sponsors.
Rep. Jennifer Decker (R-Wadi) offered her replacement. senate bill 6 This is much more advanced than the version approved by the Senate and sponsored by Senate Republican Whip Wilson.
Mr. Decker's successor would eliminate the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Kentucky's public universities and programs.
Thirteen Republicans on the committee voted for SB6 Thursday night, while three Democrats voted against it. It was passed by Republican Reps. Kevin Jackson and Scott Lewis.
Normally, the bill's lead sponsor would have introduced the bill to a House committee, but Wilson was not there.
Jackson, who like Wilson is a Republican from Bowling Green, told the committee he had concerns after speaking with Wilson earlier in the day.
“I think you both think you're right and you're passionate about what you're doing. I think maybe you can compromise a little bit somewhere in the middle, but this morning Wilson After speaking with the senator, he said, “I didn't know what happened to Senate Bill 6,'' Jackson said, adding that he would like more information about the situation.
The bill that Decker introduced to the committee was completely reviewed, including her remarks. House Bill 9 Excluding universities and vocational schools Spend resources to support DEI programs or DEI personnel. Her original bill did not receive a committee hearing.
A Senate Republican spokesperson did not respond to an email seeking comment on Wilson's opinion on the current version.by lexington herald leader, Mr. Wilson had a “scheduling conflict” during the meeting. Mr. Wilson was also a member of the Senate Education Committee, which was meeting at the same time, although its meetings were much shorter.
Decker told the Kentucky Lantern that she met with Wilson before introducing the bill, but “I haven't spoken to him since.”
“I have no role in determining the content of the bill when it comes before the House,” she said. “I'm not in a leadership position.”
Before the original bill passed the Senate on a party-line vote, Wilson said the purpose of his SB 6 was to: “Diversity of thinking” in higher education. He said conservatives tend to exclude people from academic employment and promotion if they don't adhere to “liberal ideology.”
The committee's 32-page alternative proposal states that public universities should not “restrict individuals, including candidates and applicants for employment, promotion, contracting, renewal, or admission, to any person based on the individual's religion, race, or religion. “Discriminatory treatment or benefits must not be provided.” gender, skin color, country of origin, etc. ”
What the committee heard
In his opening remarks, Decker said his bill directs public institutions to provide students with “high-quality academic instruction in an inclusive and welcoming environment.”
“No discriminatory treatment or advantage shall be provided based on a person's religion, race, sex, color, national origin, or protected class,” she said while explaining the bill. “We must not manipulate or influence student composition based on protected classes. We will no longer impose scholarship standards or eligibility restrictions based on protected classes.”
Representatives from conservative think tanks the Heritage Foundation and the Manhattan Institute spoke in favor of Decker's proposal. So did Michael Fraser, executive director of the Kentucky Student Right Coalition, and Gavin Cooper, a student at the University of Kentucky.
Cooper said that as a “gay Democrat from West Virginia,” he doesn't really agree with Decker's views, but he supports SB6, saying that UK should not be providing scholarships for low-income students. They criticized the government for spending money on DEI staff and initiatives.
“Academic freedom and inquiry are foundational traditions of our nation's universities, and if we truly believe that universities should be places of debate and true learning, we will make way for such practices. I would support any attempt,” Professor Cooper said.
About a dozen opponents opposed the bill, including Travis Powell, vice president and general counsel for the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. This organization coordinates public higher education throughout the Commonwealth. He warned that Kentucky “cannot afford to leave anyone behind on campus,” but vowed that CPE will continue to help students succeed, even if resources are limited by law.
He said the bill's prohibition on providing or providing “discriminatory treatment to individuals based on differences that we know is necessary to help them succeed.” “The ability to do so will be severely restricted.''
Felicia Numan, policy director for the Louisville Urban League, said the group opposes the bill because it would “undo all the progress we've made in this commonwealth.” . She recalled stories she heard from her mother, who was born in the 1950s, about the racism she experienced.
“These things are important. They are my family's heritage and I am a Kentuckian. These stories need to be told and these stories need to be told. These stories need to be told in the United States. It is also part of the overall heritage.
As amended, SB6 requires university boards to implement a “neutrality of viewpoint” policy that prohibits “discrimination based on an individual's political or social views” and promotes “intellectual diversity within the university.” Requires adoption by March 30th. Policies must be published online and in the student and faculty handbooks.
During questioning, Rep. Josie Raymond (D-Louisville) asked Decker whether Nazism would be protected on college campuses under such “viewpoint neutrality” policies.
“Policies that promote and enforce neutrality of viewpoint should be adopted,” Decker said, adding that if Nazism is “presented as truth without debate,” it is a discriminatory concept. .
Where did the criticism of “DEI” come from?
Kentucky's anti-DEI bill follows a national trend in which conservatives are leading the charge to roll back such measures, especially in higher education. Early this month, University of Florida After the State Board of Education prohibited universities from spending on DEI programs, we closed DEI offices, eliminated DEI positions and management positions, and suspended DEI contracts with outside vendors.tennessee passed the law Last year, it allowed students and employees to file reports against schools for allowing the teaching of “confrontational concepts.”
The movement gained momentum following the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Ending affirmative action in higher education. Ahead of Thursday's meeting, Attorney General Russell Coleman's office issued the following statement: opinion The report found that the Council on Postsecondary Education's definition of “underrepresented minorities” using “racially exclusive terms” violates the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws. Mr. Decker asked for an opinion. He cites a Supreme Court decision.
“Equality does not emerge from inequality,” the opinion states. “Kentucky’s public higher education institutions will not achieve equality if they are forced to treat students of different races differently.”
a February voting A survey released by the Foundation for Healthy Kentucky found that 71% of registered Kentucky voters believe businesses and organizations should be able to make decisions about DEI education and training programs without government intervention. I did. Mason Dixon Polling & Strategy conducted the poll of 625 voters.
Since the introduction of the Kentucky bill; black scholar They argued that DEI initiatives provide protection to historically marginalized groups, including the poor, women, members of the LBGTQ+ community, and people of color.
Last month, University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto and University of Louisville President Kim Shatzel Both schools expressed support for DEI efforts at these universities in letters to their campuses.
Democratic Governor Andy Beshear He is also a vocal supporter of DEI, saying that “diversity is an asset,” and that Kentucky is “more welcoming” to companies that may relocate to the state.
