Kentucky could ban DEI in higher education next year, according to state senator
‘I would be very surprised, if we had another DEI bill, that it did not pass the second time,’ the Senate majority leader said.
The 2024 bill would have prohibited public institutions of higher education from forcing students and teachers to believe that ‘race or sex is inherently superior or inferior to another race or sex.’
Kentucky’s state legislature could revisit anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) legislation next year, following a failed attempt to pass such legislation in 2024.
Republican state Senate Majority Leader Max Wise told The Associated Press on Tuesday: “I would be very surprised, if we had another DEI bill, that it did not pass the second time.”
He also emphasized that DEI is “an issue that seems to continue to play its way into policy discussions across many states.”
An anti-DEI bill failed to pass in the Kentucky legislature in April because the House and Senate could not work out differences between their two different versions of the legislation.
The bill would have banned Kentucky’s public colleges and universities from forcing students and teachers to believe that any “race or sex is inherently superior or inferior to another race or sex,” or that anyone is “inherently privileged, racist, sexist, or oppressive” because of their “race or sex.”
Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, who introduced the bill, previously spoke to Campus Reform about what motivated his initiative: “DEl policies have driven a wedge [between] students and employees in our public universities. No one person should feel compelled to sign onto DEl policies as a condition of acceptance as a student into a university or for employment by that university.”
Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear had signaled his opposition to the legislation, saying DEI is “about loving each other. . . . It’s about living out the Golden Rule. . . . Diversity will always make us stronger. It is an asset and never a liability.”
Despite his opposition, significant Republican majorities in both chambers can handily overcome the governor’s veto, the AP pointed out.
A spokesperson for Sen. Wise told Campus Reform: “Sen. Wise has been clear that many DEI policies miss the mark by creating division and prioritizing identity over merit. He believes Kentuckians deserve better—policies that reward hard work, individual character, and common sense, not stereotypes or ideological agendas.”
He continued: “Research, like the recent Rutgers study, reinforces concerns that DEI efforts can increase hostility among co-workers, and the same is undoubtedly true among students on our college campuses. That’s one reason why he’s hopeful any future legislation will directly address the consequences of divisive and discriminatory policies.”
The spokesperson also emphasized that “Sen. Wise certainly hopes any final bill addressing the DEI madness will remedy the disease rather than merely treat the symptoms—such as renaming programs, altering titles, or tweaking application wording.”
Anti-DEI efforts have gained steam in several states in 2023 and 2024, with multiple legislatures banning DEI programs and initiatives from their public universities. At least 10 states have enacted some kind of legislation targeting DEI, as seen on Best Colleges.
Recently, Republican legislators in Texas have discussed strengthening existing anti-DEI measures, potentially banning “DEI-related curriculum and course content.”
Campus Reform has reached out to State Sen. Wise for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
