Public colleges in Kentucky may soon have to change their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, commonly called D-r.i. A Senate bill would restrict colleges from engaging in what the bill calls, quote, discriminatory concepts.

This includes hiring requirements for faculty and mandatory curriculum and training for students.

Senate Bill six advanced today, and our Clayton Dalton watched it all and has this report.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs on college campuses focus on enrolling, retaining and graduating students from underrepresented demographics.

This includes racial minorities, veterans, low income students and students with disabilities.

Senate Bill six prohibits Kentucky's public colleges from requiring faculty and students to take part in D-I programs that present discriminatory concepts as defined in the bill.

Here is a summary of the contents of the bill.

It begins with definition setting forth the discriminatory concepts.

It then prohibits pick faculty, students, applicants and staff from having to adopt certain political or philosophical positions in order to be admitted, hired, promoted or receive any other academic benefit.

It also prohibits preferential or prejudicial consideration based on an individual's actual or perceived political or social ideology.

Required.

These statements would be prohibited.

Senate Democrats took issue with the bill.

We have over 20% of minorities across the campuses of all state universities, of all different languages, all different colors, all different races, no different genders.

We've got a state university system today that looks like America.

We have made significant progress and we've come a long way.

And I think today with adoption is policy.

We really renege on all the advances that we have seen.

I think this bill is dangerously confused and I am sorry that people in our society feel so intimidated by other groups that they literally feel like they have to pass laws to protect themselves.

That is so sad.

I am worried about the way that this bill will chill speech.

I am worried about the way it will be perceived by faculty and students at our educational institutions.

For those reasons, I will be voting no and urge other members to do the same.

State Senator Donald Douglas, the only black Republican in the Kentucky General Assembly, said he supports the bill because education should unite, not divide.

I plead with every senator in this chamber, please let us teach our students not perpetuate the past.

Let us show empathy and let us show respect.

Let us not show division.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Clayton Dalton.

Senate Bill six passed on the Senate floor today by a vote of 26 to 7, strictly along party lines.