FRANKFORT, Ky. — In Frankfort, a busy week continued Wednesday as lawmakers only have until Friday to pass bills before the governor’s veto period. The Senate and House passed priority legislation across the finish line where either Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky. can sign it into law or veto the bill.
The Kentucky Senate passed a slew of bills. One of them included the divisive House Bill 4 which bans diversity, equity and inclusion practices at Kentucky universities.
The bill prohibits public colleges from having a DEI office or officer, offering race-based scholarships and from using so called discriminatory concepts in hiring or admissions.
The Senate made no major changes to the bill despite Democrats trying to lessen unintended consequences.
State Senator Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, said the bill is a step backwards for Kentucky.
“House Bill 4 is a clear signal that in this state we want our state universities to go back to the good old days of the past,” Thomas said.
Senate Minority Leader Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, said those who support House Bill 4 are ignoring the country and state’s racist past.
“Clearly there are those who are in a position to do better than others because they have a starting that’s above where others are. They have exposure to various kinds of resources that others do not have,” Neal said.
However, supporters including State Senator Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, an African-American man, said DEI is great in theory but not in practice.
“At times [DEI] sets people up for failure, but it sets them up for failure without blame because it isn’t your fault. It’s someone else’s fault. It creates a false environment. It creates a false sense of accomplishment,” Douglas said.
State Senator Steve West, R-Paris, said the bill puts everyone on an even playing field.
“My youngest son is in high school, and I want the same thing for him as every other parent in Kentucky that has a student ready for college; if he were to attend any of our universities, I want to know that he will enter on a level playing field,” West said.
The House will need to concur with a change to the bill’s title before it heads to the governor’s desk. Beshear would likely veto House Bill 4.
Other bills which passed the Senate include House Bill 2, which ends a tax on gold and bullion currency. The Senate added to the bill a delay to income tax filing until November for eastern Kentucky flood victims to put the state in line with a federal regulation.
