FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — A release from the Kentucky House Majority Caucus announced that the house passed a measure, sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Decker, that would prohibit DEI practices on the campuses of public universities in Kentucky.
“DEI is an unconstitutional and discriminatory practice that indoctrinates and divides our college campuses,” Decker said. “DEI has failed to foster an inclusive and diverse college environment and has replaced equality for all with opportunity for the few. Postsecondary institutions must be directed to uphold the constitution and restore their campuses to a marketplace of free expression.”
House Bill 4 81-18 would prohibit the spending of any money on DEI training and would require public universities to close all DEI offices and eliminate all DEI office positions by June 20, the release read.
Further, the release listed that HB 4 would also do the following:
- Prohibit universities from requiring students or staff to attend a DEI training session or complete an academic course dedicated to the promotion of differential treatment or benefits conferred to individuals on the basis of religion, race, sex, color, or national origin.
- Ensure that no one would be required to endorse or condemn a specific political or social viewpoint to be eligible for hiring, contract renewal, tenure, promotion, admission, or graduation.
- Require universities and the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) to make annual certifications of their compliance with the provisions of HB 4.
- Authorize the Attorney General to go to court to require compliance and the Auditor to conduct a periodic compliance audit.
- Direct CPE to implement an annual survey/rubric on campus intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity.
“Our universities must stand for fair, equal, and impartial treatment of all people who live, work, and study on their campuses,” Decker added. “Discrimination on our college campuses explicitly diverges from our nation’s constitution and was ruled, in no uncertain terms, unconstitutional by the United State Supreme Court. Kentucky must adopt HB 4 to protect further classes of students from the unconstitutional discrimination promoted by DEI mandates and initiatives.”
The release noted that the bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.
