Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signs bill banning use of taxpayer dollars for DEI programs in public institutions

03/26/2024 / By Laura Harris

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has signed a bill that prohibits universities, state agencies and K–12 public schools from maintaining and funding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.

The state law, known as Senate Bill 129, received resounding support from Alabama Republicans in both the state Senate and House of Representatives and is set to take effect in October.

Under the new law, universities, K–12 school systems and state agencies are prohibited from sponsoring DEI programs, defined as any activity where attendance is based on one’s race, sex, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin or sexual orientation. The legislation also prohibits the mandatory attendance of students, employees and contractors in classes or DEI-related training, orientation or coursework that advocates “divisive concepts,” like racism and sexism.

SB 129 also grants state agencies the authority to discipline or terminate employees or contractors found to be in violation of the law.

The state law only prevents state funds from being allocated to DEI programs. It does not ban universities and other educational institutions from engaging in recruiting and outreach efforts for educational programs with a DEI slant.

Sen. Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road), one of the primary sponsors of SB 129, explained that the law seeks to “celebrate what people have in common, not erect walls that silo people into the idea that their race, religion, and sexual orientation solely define who they are and how society should view them.”

“My administration has and will continue to value Alabama’s rich diversity, however, I refuse to allow a few bad actors on college campuses – or wherever else for that matter – to go under the acronym of DEI, using taxpayer funds, to push their liberal political movement counter to what the majority of Alabamians believe,” said Ivey.

Other conservative states have also banned DEI programs in state-funded institutions

Alabama joins other conservative states that have introduced or passed legislation targeting DEI programs.

In 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation that prohibits any state or federal tax dollars from going to DEI programs at state colleges or universities.

During the signing ceremony at the New College of Florida, DeSantis signed Senate Bill 266, one of three education-related bills he recently signed. The legislation “prohibits programs, majors, minors, curriculum and general education core courses that violate Florida law regarding prohibited discrimination or that are based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political and economic inequities.”

Meanwhile, one of the other bills, House Bill 931, mandates state universities to establish offices responsible for hosting speakers representing diverse political viewpoints. It aims to dismantle “political filters” that influence hiring, promotion and admissions processes based on ideological alignments. (Related: DEI captures the University of Florida.)

Similarly, in June, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 17 into law, which mandates the closure of DEI offices across all state-funded colleges and universities. The law, which took effect in January 2024, also bars the establishment of new DEI programs within publicly funded higher education institutions in the Lone Star State. Additionally, it prohibits the compulsory nature of diversity training for both students and employees.

Under SB 17, institutions are prohibited from endorsing ideologies that advocate for differential treatment based on race, color, or ethnicity. Public educational bodies are barred from mandating the disclosure of racial or ethnic information from students and employees unless necessary for demographic purposes. Any public college or university found to have violated the new law would be unable to access state funds allocated to them.

Furthermore, SB 17 requires state officials to conduct studies every two years until 2029 to assess the impact of the law on students. The studies will specifically analyze rates of application, acceptance, enrollment, retention, graduation and grade point averages.

Visit PublicEducation.news for more stories about DEI programs in public universities and colleges.

Watch this video discussing a similar move by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to block DEI programs in state colleges and universities in the Sunshine State.

This video is from THE HEALTHY AMERICAN channel on Brighteon.com.