JEFFERSON CITY — A fight over “diversity, equity and inclusion†— or DEI — initiatives has resurfaced in the Missouri Legislature.
A House committee on Tuesday heard proposals that would bar state departments and medical schools that receive state funding from spending money on DEI programming.
It’s a continuation of an effort launched by far-right Republicans last year. Proposals to bar DEI in public university hiring processes and in public medical school settings did not gain traction. And backers ultimately lost a fight to use the state’s $53 billion budget to impose broad anti-DEI restrictions on state departments.
People are also reading…
Tuesday’s public hearing included discussion of four identical proposals that would prohibit state departments from spending money on “intradepartmental programs, staffing, or other initiatives associated with ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion.’†And state departments would not be able to “mandate, require or incentivize†third parties to implement DEI programming.
Among the bill sponsors is Rep. Doug Richey, R-Excelsior Springs, who spearheaded last year’s attempt to put anti-DEI language in the state budget and says that DEI efforts are racist.
Richey said the deployment of DEI initiatives is flawed in that it uses racism and discrimination in the present to address racism and discrimination that occurred in the past.
“I would have no problem whatsoever with diversity, equity, inclusion,†said Richey. “The moniker ‘DEI’ — diversity equity inclusion — is a problem. It is a cancer, and it needs to be eradicated from state government.â€
Some Democrats on the committee pushed back.
Rep. Keri Ingle, D-Kansas City, said that the measures raised questions about the First Amendment and the government’s role in limiting speech.
“Are your bills not, in fact, trying to ban ideologies because you do not agree with them?†asked Ingle.
A Department of Labor and Industrial Relations lists a diversity and inclusion workforce training program which “discusses ways to overcome resistance to change and inclusion, foster an attitude of openness in your organization, and eliminate profiling and stereotypes in the workplace.â€
A for the Missouri Department of Transportation, which has been plagued by employee turnover, says, “We value diversity and recognize how the power of differences impact our employee engagement. The Equal Opportunity and Diversity Division researches, develops, coordinates and implements initiatives that advance MoDOT values of an inclusive work environment to ensure equitable opportunities exist for all employees.â€
The governor, who is responsible for selecting top state department officials, through a spokesperson declined to comment on the measures.
“I’m for diversity in workplaces and universities,†House Majority Floor Leader Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, told a group of reporters Monday. “What our members don’t want to see is discrimination.â€
Rep. Ben Baker, R-Neosho, presented an updated version of a proposal he sponsored last year focused on medical education institutions, like schools of medicine or nursing.
It would prohibit state-funded institutions from spending money from any source on DEI offices or officers and from conducting “internal DEI audits†or engaging “DEI consultants.†It would impose reporting requirements for compliance with the measure, and state funds could not be spent until a compliance report is filed with the Department of Higher Education. It would also prohibit using DEI in hiring processes. Individuals could sue institutions for noncompliance.
Baker at the hearing said that employment in any context needs to be “based on merit.â€
Just a few witnesses spoke in support of the anti-DEI proposals at Tuesday’s hearing, while the majority opposed them.
The legislation regarding state departments is House Bills , and . The legislation regarding medical education is House Bill .