Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 17, banning diversity, equity, and inclusion offices at public colleges and universities

On June 17, 2023, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 17 into law, a measure enacted during the 88th Legislature's Regular Session and authored by state Sen. Brandon Creighton of Conroe. The law bars public colleges and universities from establishing or maintaining an office of diversity, equity, and inclusion, from requiring students, faculty, or staff to participate in DEI training, and from soliciting or requiring statements describing a commitment to diversity in hiring, admissions, or employment decisions.

SB 17 directs the Texas State Auditor to monitor institutional compliance and conditions eligibility for state funding increases on adherence, giving the measure financial enforcement. Abbott signed the bill alongside a companion measure placing new regulations on faculty tenure. In announcing the signing, Creighton framed the law as returning campuses to a "merit-based" approach; the enrolled bill's caption described it as "relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at public institutions of higher education."

Updates

2024-01-01 — SB 17 took effect as universities closed DEI offices [4]

The law went into effect on January 1, 2024. Ahead of the deadline, Texas public universities cut DEI and related offices, including multicultural and LGBTQ+ resource centers, producing a patchwork of compliance approaches across the state's institutions.

2024-04-02 — UT-Austin laid off about 60 staff to comply [5]

The University of Texas at Austin announced it had fired roughly 60 employees who had worked in diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and disbanded its Division of Campus and Community Engagement, citing the need for fuller compliance with SB 17.