The governor's confirmation marks a notable rightward shift for him after he signed the Utah Compact on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion when he took office and encouraged others to do so.
(Francisco Djorses | Salt Lake Tribune) Gov. Spencer Cox speaks Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, in Salt Lake City. Governor Cox signed HB261, a bill that unravels diversity programs in education and government across the state.
Gov. Spencer Cox signed Utah's anti-DEI bill into law Tuesday, beginning a major rollback of diversity efforts across public education and government in the state.
Utah is now the latest in a series of red states to pass a similar measure into law. And while his approval of HB261 was largely expected (the Republican governor has been vocal about the issue in recent months), it marks a further shift to the right by Cox.
“We have been concerned about some DEI programs and policies, particularly employment practices, and this bill provides a balanced solution,” he said in a statement Tuesday.
Cox began his term in January 2021 by signing the Utah Compact on Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. At the time, he encouraged employees to put their names on an agreement pledging to denounce discrimination.
With his signature on HB261, the state's public universities, universities, K-12 schools, and government agencies will be required to have the compact language of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” included in the program's name. It is necessary to delete the same words and open any program. A specific race- or gender-based approach to all individuals.
As employers, these institutions would also be prohibited from encouraging their staff to sign any kind of statement, such as a diversity agreement. Applicants cannot be asked about their thoughts on DEI as part of the hiring process, a practice Cox recently described as “nearly evil” for higher education.
Cox signed the bill at the same time as HB257, another major bill that passed quickly this Congress, which bans transgender Utahns from using restrooms and locker rooms in government buildings. announced.
The governor argued that both bills are intended to protect “all” Utahns.
Regarding DEI, Cox said Utah's approach is different from other states in that it doesn't ban programs completely or defund them, but instead makes resources available to all students. Said it was different.
“I am grateful that the Legislature did not follow the lead of other states that simply eliminated DEI funding without providing alternatives for students who may be facing hardship,” he said in a statement. “Instead, this funding will be repurposed to help all Utah students succeed, regardless of their background.”
In the fall, Cox began questioning diversity efforts at the state's eight public colleges and universities in the wake of the recent culture wars that have become a focus for Republicans across the country. His focus has also increased as his first term as governor ends and he seeks re-election to the top spot this year.
He first called on the Utah System of Higher Education to resolve that university leaders remain neutral on political issues (as a result, university administrators remained silent on HB261 during the session). Later, at a town hall in December, Cox said DEI programs in higher education “do more to divide us than to unite us.”
A week later, he made headlines when he slammed the “diversity statements you have to sign to get hired” at schools across the state. All of Utah's public universities have said they do not exist as described by the governor, but some have previously volunteered to explain their beliefs on diversity in open-ended questions. He said that he had asked someone to do so.
Cox welcomed legislation that would regulate things along these lines.
“After this legislative session, I can assure you that that will not happen here in Utah,” he said.
The bill passed quickly, with unanimous support from leading Republicans in the Utah House and Senate and unanimous disapproval from all Democratic state legislators, with a final vote taking place 11 days into the session.
Many educators and people of color spoke out against the bill, saying it would be harmful and undermine years of efforts to level the playing field for disadvantaged populations. was. Some ran a letter campaign asking the governor to veto HB261. The state's secretary of higher education said the measure was “untested” and “difficult to implement.”
But the bill moves forward with the governor's signature on the 15th day of the 45-day session. It was approved by Cox and is expected to become law on July 1.
Educational institutions that violate this provision could have their state funding withheld.
Many of the prohibitions in HB 261 were previously announced by Cox to staff in the governor's office.
For example, HB261 prohibits certain diversity training. Cox previously asked his staff to take workshops on empathy, race and “intersecting Utah stories,” and senior Cabinet leaders said they would spend 21 days in his first job. took the Equity, Opportunity, and Inclusion curriculum.
Mr. Cox also hired the first-ever Senior Advisor for Equity and Opportunity in the Governor's Office. A spokesperson for the governor said it is unclear what will happen to the position based on HB 261's provisions for public employees.
During his gubernatorial campaign, he and his wife, Abby, advocated for more women's voices in politics and government. But he said in December that higher education should focus on getting more men to graduate because men had “fallen off a cliff” at university. Statewide data doesn't bear that out, showing that male enrollment has been fairly consistent over time.
And in April 2021, he faced intense backlash for supporting a Utah Jazz-sponsored scholarship for minority students. HB261 prohibits Utah universities from using public funds to support race- or gender-specific academic awards.
He briefly acknowledged in a statement Tuesday that his administration has “very intentionally worked with many community stakeholders to expand opportunities for all Utahns, and we will continue to do so.”
