A Senate committee took out a part of a bill from the Iowa House that would have restricted diversity equity and inclusion offices at private colleges. The bill still blocks entities like state agencies, cities and towns from spending money on DEI offices and staff.
The original bill would have required private colleges to have policies against starting, maintaining and staffing DEI offices. The revised proposal would still block DEI offices at community colleges, bringing them in line with the state’s public universities.
Sen. Ken Rozenboom, R-Oskaloosa, struck the restriction on private colleges, but still supported the restrictions on community colleges and state agencies.
“It is not the proper place of the state entity to promote ideologies and opinions as their official role. State entities are established to help provide services to Iowa as set out in statute. It's outside of that role to use their funds to tout political issues.”
Those against the bill say it would erase different forms of identity.
Money that would have gone toward DEI programs at places of higher education will instead be redirected to the Iowa Workforce Grant and Incentive Program.