Texas Passes Bill Banning DEI Programs at State Universities

Texas lawmakers have sent a bill to Governor Greg Abbott's desk that would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts at publicly funded universities in the state. The bill would require universities to eliminate their DEI offices, programs, and mandatory trainings within six months and mandate that all hiring practices be "color-blind and sex-neutral." However, it would not affect admissions, course curriculum, student organizations, faculty research, or data collection. Texas would become the second state in the country to enact such legislation, joining Florida.