Georgia Senate Republicans failed to advance a bill that mirrored the Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools and universities.
The Georgia State Senate did not vote on Senate Bill 120 by Crossover Day on Thursday. The bill would have slashed state funding or state-administered federal funding for public schools or universities with DEI programs.
SB 120 defines DEI as “different treatment” or “special benefits” to people on the basis of race, sex, gender, national origin or sexual orientation, policies designed “with reference” to these categories or training and recruitment initiatives with preferential treatment.
Under this bill, colleges and universities would also not be allowed to adopt an official position “referencing unconscious or implicit bias, cultural appropriation, allyship, gender ideology or theory, microaggressions, group marginalization, antiracism, systemic oppression, social justice, intersectionality, neopronouns, heteronormativity” and other concepts.
“SB 120 is a necessary step to restore academic excellence and fairness in our colleges by ensuring that taxpayer dollars are not used to promote divisive diversity, equity and inclusion programs,” lead sponsor Republican State Sen. Marty Harbin said in committee.
The state bill comes amid President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government. The U.S. Department of Education has also prohibited educational institutions receiving federal funds from considering race in admissions, hiring, promotion, scholarships, discipline and other programs.
Harbin said after the Senate adjourned that he felt the bill needed more work, but hinted that it could come back this session in some form.
“We said there’s some things we need to make right,” he said. “This is a biennial; we’d rather do it right than do it halfway.”
He added, however, that he would have had enough votes to move forward with the bill.
When asked if he would add the language of SB 120 to another bill later this session, Harbin said, “The senator knows of which he speaks” — a common affirmative response used during floor debates.
The bill faced opposition from Democrats and activist groups who say DEI programs and initiatives help redress systemic barriers to educational achievement for minority groups.
Democratic State Sen. Nikki Merritt said that mobilizing educators and constituents contributed to the bill’s failure.
“This is what happens when people stay engaged and involved and start calling and putting pressure that ‘We don’t want this legislation,’ and I do believe that was a factor in them not calling up the bill,” she said.
“Honestly, I was ready to debate it all night. We were going to hold the floor, all the Democrats. We were ready to fight back for this bill. We were probably going to be here at midnight.”
Merritt, along with Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones and House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, held a press conference Wednesday with support from the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, the Urban League of Greater Atlanta and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The same day, these organizations and others like them penned a letter to Senate leaders denouncing SB 120.
Hamida Suad Labi, policy counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense, said that “anti-civil rights advocates have co-opted” the term DEI “to refer to anything related to race, gender and sexual orientation.”
“LDF is deeply concerned that this bill may lead to the targeting of black students and educators through the elimination of racially inclusive instruction programs and services that help us to overcome unfair barriers and better integrate into non-diverse environments,” she said.
Georgia Tech NAACP President Chase Pettiford said this past week has been “the lowest point” of her academic career.
“These spaces, places, and conversations foster community, not some unfair advantages or an ideology that harms other groups,” Pettiford said. “We are watching our institutions that have made great strides in the last 50 years regress in front of our eyes, and it is heartbreaking.”
If the bill’s language appears in other proposed legislation or next year, Merritt said she would encourage her constituents to stay engaged and continue opposing it.
