Governor on board with Clay Yarborough, Dean Black bid to nix local DEI

A bid by two Jacksonville Republicans to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in local governments is gaining momentum statewide, with an enthusiastic endorsement from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“Florida has led the nation on DEI elimination. Now, Sen. (Clay) Yarborough and Rep. (Dean) Black have filed a bill to eliminate DEI in local government. Let’s go,” DeSantis said Wednesday.

Senate Bill 1134 and House Bill 1001 would prohibit counties and cities from funding or promoting DEI initiatives, including offices dedicated to those efforts. Violating the law would result in misfeasance or malfeasance charges against officials who defined the state mandate.

The bill would also create a cause of action for individuals challenging such efforts by subsidiary governments.

DEI would be defined as any effort to “manipulate or otherwise influence the composition of employees with reference to race, color, sex, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation other than to ensure that hiring is conducted in accordance with state and federal antidiscrimination laws.”

Additionally, “preferential treatment” and “special benefits” based on certain demographic criteria would be banned, as would diversity training.

However, “equal opportunity” would be protected, as would commemorations such as Black History Month.

DeSantis has taken steps against DEI throughout much of his tenure, including targeting it at the University level last year.

The Florida Young Republicans also back the latest anti-DEI measure in Tallahassee.

“The Florida Young Republicans urge the Legislature to put an end to state-sanctioned discrimination,” said Werther Marciales, Chairman of the Florida Young Republican Policy Committee. “Governor DeSantis, working with previous state legislatures, has made great strides in eliminating DEI within state government. It’s time to finish the fight at the local level and finally make Division, Exclusion, and Intolerance a relic of the past.”