Legislators and spectators stand for a prayer in the House Chamber at the start of the day’s proceedings at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)
With one last vote from the House, the Utah Legislature approved the bill that would ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs in public entities.
The bill, which passed 59-14 along party lines, now goes to Gov. Spencer Cox.
The governor has not yet taken an official position on the bill and did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. However, the governor last month was bullish on banishing DEI statements in university hiring practices, which HB261 would do.
The original text of the bill has gone through several changes in the last two weeks to address some of the unintended consequences of such a ban.
Rep. Katy Hall, R-South Ogden, is pictured in the House Chamber at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)