SALT LAKE CITY — A bill seeking to replace Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offices on Utah's public colleges and universities has cleared a committee.
In a 12-2 party line vote, the House Education Committee voted to advance House Bill 261 to the full House of Representatives. But the bill was modified from its original form.
"This bill is focused on removing barriers for all students," said Rep. Katy Hall, R-South Ogden, who is the primary sponsor of HB261.
In a substitute bill, House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, R-Clearfield, proposed eliminating the name "DEI" but there are carve outs for such offices to continue doing a lot of their existing work to ensure federal money continues to come in. The bill still advances the concept of equal opportunity "Student Success Centers." It also still prohibits mandatory trainings "promoting a specific ideology" across all aspects of government and diversity statements in hiring applications.
Rep. Hall said in her presentation to the committee that DEI has come to mean "differential treatment" among some students. She also spoke about academic freedom and a pressure some feel to conform to a particular way of thinking instead of listening to diverse viewpoints.
But Democrats on the committee questioned if there was really a problem, noting that a lot of Rep. Hall's examples of problems on Utah college and university campuses were anecdotal. They also questioned claims of excessive spending on DEI initiatives. A fiscal analysis prepared for the Utah State Legislature found roughly $10 million spent on it out of higher education's $2.8 billion budget.
In a lengthy public comment period, people weighed in with sometimes personal stories. Some said DEI initiatives helped them and gave them resources as they felt alone and in need of support as first-generation, immigrant students. Others said they didn't need that help and felt DEI was discriminatory in and of itself.
Groups like the NAACP's Salt Lake Branch and the Utah Black Chamber of Commerce spoke out against the proposed legislation. House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, said she benefited from DEI initiatives when she attended college.
"Just because I have a different opinion doesn't mean my existence is divisive," she said.
Rep. Hall said she wanted her bill to include all.
"I hope this sends a strong message that we care about equality, opportunity for all students," she said.
The bill will now go to the full House of Representatives for a vote.
