Republicans in the North Carolina House of Representatives are pushing a bill that would eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives in state and local governments.
House Bill 171, titled “Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI,” would prohibit state agencies, including local governments and financially-backed schools, from funding or maintaining DEI efforts. Additionally, it would prohibit using DEI in hiring and employment practices — and require agencies to eliminate DEI staff positions and required trainings.
House Majority Leader Brenden Jones (R-Columbus, Robeson) filed H.B. 171 in February. During a session of the State and Local Government House Standing Committee, he said the purpose of the bill is to ensure public jobs, promotions and contracts are awarded solely based on merit.
“What it does do is stop government offices from choosing winners and losers based on race, sex or background,” he said to the committee. “It puts an end to mandatory trainings that shame employees into ideology confirmation, and it ensures that taxpayer dollars go toward delivering results, not enforcing ideology.”
State employees would be subject to removal from office and fines of up to $10,000 per violation of the bill, with an earlier version including criminal penalties of up to 120 days in jail.
N.C. Rep. Allen Buansi (D-Orange) said the bill’s language raises questions surrounding the principles of the First Amendment. He said its vague definition of what constitutes DEI is particularly concerning, especially since violations of the bill come with repercussions.
The bill defines DEI as any program, policy, initiative or activity that either influences hiring or employment practices based on characteristics not related to merit, such as race or sex, or that promotes differential treatment and special benefits based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, nationality, country of origin or sexual orientation.
“If someone said something, are they going to be subject to punishment?" Buansi said. "That's a question in this bill and anytime legislation is dictating to folks what they can and cannot say."
N.C. Rep. Marcia Morey (D-Durham) said bills like these are a result of similar bills on the federal level. While H.B. 171 does not reference President Donald Trump, North Carolina Senate Bill 227, a recently proposed bill that would eliminate DEI in public education, directly cites Trump’s Jan. 29 executive order to eliminate “radical indoctrination” in K-12 schools.
