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The Government Administration and Elections Committee just introduced Bill No. 433 to implement the recommendations of the Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health in its most recent report concerning increasing equity in state government.
The bill would establish a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Division within each state department, administered by a full-time, salaried director, who is expected to devote all of their time doing the work of DEI.
Under Bill No. 433, the following departments would be required to establish DEI divisions:
Departments of Administrative Services, Aging and Disability Services, Agriculture, Banking, Children and Families, Consumer Protection, Correction, Developmental Services, Economic and Community Development, Education, Emergency Services and Public Protection, Energy and Environmental Protection, Housing, Insurance, Labor, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Motor Vehicles, Public Health, Revenue Services, Social Services, Transportation and Veterans Affairs, and the Offices of Early Childhood and Policy and Management.
The DEI Division would be responsible for all "equity-related matters" both within a department and in
relation to the services provided by a department.
The definition of equity used in the bill alleges that "underserved" communities have been "systematically" denied fair treatment, including Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color, members of religious minorities, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer persons, persons with disabilities, persons who live in rural areas and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.
The DEI director for each department will be required to create an equity action plan that identifies specific DEI goals for the department and establishes accountability mechanisms for achieving such goals.
Of course there will be plenty of DEI training for folks in these departments, including all supervisory and nonsupervisory employees hired on or after July 1, 2025, and not later than six months after
an employee starts a position within a department.
A minimum of 4 hours of annual DEI training would also be required for all supervisory and nonsupervisory employees. Training and materials, according to the bill, should include topics related to "cultural sensitivity, sexual orientation and gender identity, anti-racism, anti-sexism and disability awareness."
The bill would additionally require, for any notice of request for bids or proposals, that the bidder or proposer report the diversity of its workforce and demonstrate the bidder's or proposer's own commitment to equity. There would even be a screening process to rank how well the equity criteria are met!
Furthermore, if any public agency accepts a bid without a copy of the commitment to equity, the agency may become ineligible for the receipt of funds related to the bid.
What a curious time to put up a bill like this, considering the fact that DEI programs have been under fire on college campuses, in corporate America and in the political arena for essentially "solving" discrimination by discriminating against certain groups, usually white people, a philosophy embraced by notorious race baiter Ibram X. Kendi, who made a killing from teaching folks How to Be an Antiracist.
