NC House debate on banning DEI in government delayed to Wednesday
The North Carolina Legislative Building (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
The NC House delayed a scheduled debate and floor vote on a controversial bill that would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in state and local government from Tuesday to today.
House Speaker Destin Hall said the bill sponsor wanted time to consider amendments to House bill 171.
It prohibits schools and state and local governments from maintaining DEI offices or programs. Diversity and equity could not be considered in awarding contracts. It bans diversity training.
Employees would face civil fines of up to $10,000 for infractions and could be sued for alleged violations.
After Tuesday's House session, House Democratic leader Robert Reives (D-Chatham) said he hoped the bill would not reappear.
'I'm hoping that we recognize that this isn't the kind of thing we need to be concentrating on right now,' he said. 'I don't see any purpose that is served by this bill. I think the House has done an exceptionally good job this year of not getting into these kinds of issues.'
Legislation on DEI and other divisive topics are a distraction from the issue of economic well-being for state residents that should be the legislature's focus, Reives said.
'There's one clear question that everybody has: Why do I have to work two or three jobs to get the same thing my parents did with one job? We keep trying to find ways to keep people distracted from that, and we've got to stop that.'
In response to criticisms, Hall (R-Caldwell) maintained that DEI is illegal and unconstitutional, pointing to the 2023 US Supreme Court decision banning affirmative action in college admissions.
'That same general rule, one would think, applies to hiring decisions,' Hall said.
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