COLUMBUS, Ohio — A controversial higher education bill that did not survive budget negotiations this summer has made its way back to the statehouse.

Among many things, Senate Bill 83 could ban mandated diversity, equity and inclusion training at public colleges and universities across the state.

A group of students spent Monday morning sitting on the floor of the Statehouse’s rotunda protesting the "Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act." The students said it would directly impact their academic freedom. 

"There are a lot of portions within this bill that really stand to attack higher education in general from all sides," said Tori Haller, a Ohio State University student. "Talking about finances, student enrollment, driving away educators brain drain, talking about like controlling what how teachers can talk about topics in the classroom." 

"Everyone deserves to have a well-rounded and proper education where they can form their own opinions and have open discussions in their classrooms," said University of Cincinnati student Chloe Freeman.

Both proponents and opponents of the bill believe students should have freedom of expression. Its sponsor, State Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, said his goal is to create biased-free classrooms. He believes the bill could help make a better educational-system. 

"If you look at the bill in its entirety," said Cirino. "It creates more speech, not less speech. That doesn't restrict anybody's speech. It doesn't restrict what can be taught in classrooms." 

Much of the bill has remained similar to previous versions, calling for the elimination of mandated diversity, equity and inclusion training and asking students to evaluate their professors on whether their classrooms are biased-free. However, Cirino said he has made some adjustments that he hopes will help the legislation pass both chambers.

"I did make a change in the version that went to the budget," Cirino said, "which eliminated the no strike provision for the non-faculty labor organizations on campuses." 

Cirino also loosened the language regarding relationships Ohio schools could have with Chinese entities.

Meanwhile, a professor from Ohio State University joined students at the Statehouse because he says his voice could be silenced by this bill. 

"It completely mis-characterizes and I think is quite ignorant of what we do in the classroom," said Pranav Jani, associate professor of English at Ohio State University. "That we're actually the preservers of diversity of thought and true debate and discussion. And it sort of imagines professors as, just whining, just pontificating in the classroom which is against not only our values, but it doesn't even fit how we teach." 

The bill has been assigned to the Ohio House Higher Education Committee.