BY: MARY MCCUE BELL
A bill prohibiting Missouri agencies from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives was given initial House approval Monday evening.
The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Ben Baker, a Republican from Neosho, argued that DEI goals do not lead to decreased bias and questioned their success.
The state House can pass the bill with one more vote, sending it to the Senate.
If enacted, funds spent by state departments could not be used for DEI initiatives. These initiatives include collective guilt ideologies, intersectional or divisive identity activism and promotion of preferential treatment; this is the idea that group disparities are solely due to oppression.
Democrats argued that the wording on the bill could be interpreted so that any single one of those descriptions could be used to defund any program.
The bill creates an exception that the agencies would not be prohibited from following federal laws or complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The bill also makes it illegal for state agencies to require or incentivize DEI programs as a requirement for earning a state contract.
The bill was given approval on a voice vote after a party line 100-49 vote ended more than two hours of impassioned speeches by Democrats. Speakers raised concerns about who is at an advantage or disadvantage from such legislation.
Additional talking points included systemic racism, the gender pay gap, pink taxes, disabilities and merit-based hiring. The price of eggs was brought up multiple times to argue that this legislation doesn’t improve the welfare of Missourians.
Unintended consequences were discussed, such as retaliation against accreditation of university medical programs and law enforcement agencies. These are often required to have such programs be accredited.
A 2024 Missourian review of state agency budget requests, which includes every line item of spending a department seeks, found the phrase “diversity, equity, and inclusion” practically nonexistent among state agencies.
This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online.