A high ranking Senate Republican, pushes back against criticism over his bill restricting diversity, equity and inclusion policies at Kentucky's public colleges.

He claims his measure is not A.D.

I bought anti discrimination.

Bowling Green Senator Mike Wilson says students and employees on college campuses across the state have complained that the measures are divisive.

His Senate bill six, outlines 16 concepts that would be considered divisive and prohibited in classes and trainings.

I talked to Senator Wilson earlier today from our Frank Four studios about what prompted the bill.

More about that and tonight's kickoff of our legislative update.

What we've seen in the eye across the country and even as I've had people talk to me that are here in Kentucky, that students are experiencing that, you know, having to take the training and ascribe to a litmus test of a political ideology that goes beyond what our federal and state laws are in regards to racism and antidiscrimination measures, which I don't think that we need to be doing that.

So there are some substantiated cases of students facing that.

Is that also coming from some of the university personnel or are you hearing that as well?

And has that been substantiated?

I am.

I'm hearing that from university personnel as well that are located here in Kentucky.

And there are documented cases across the country where they've been denied promotion.

They've been denied hiring because of their statements to the eye.

That does not agree with the university in regards to that.

You know, we we all believe in diversity.

We all believe in being included.

We believe in equality, you know, opportunities and things like that.

So we're not trying to get rid of D-I, but we are trying to make sure that what we're doing is in line with our state and federal laws.

And we're not trying to prohibit teaching history or, you know, slavery and all of those things that we're being accused of that, but we're not.

And they're probably be in addition to the bill to specifically state that that this bill does not prohibit that.

What I was just going to go to that point, Senator Wilson, that in the bill is fairly simple or short, you know, five pages, but it does not mention about the prohibition against teaching certain materials that could even be perceived as offending a student to heard those and giving them grounds to file a case.

What have the higher education officials in the state?

These are public universities only that this applies to.

What have they said to you in response to Senate Bill?

So they are still reviewing it.

From my perspective, you know, off the record, they still can't say that they disagree with any of the prohibited provisions that are in the bill.

So as far as that goes, we'll have to wait and see.

I know they don't like one particular aspect of it.

Which is.

Is the right of private action, which means which means that if a student or an you know, an employee of the university feels like they've been discriminated based on this litmus test that they have, they could bring right of action against the university.

So they they they feel that gives up their sovereignty and they don't like that, of course.

That recently happened with a bill that was passed when a student faces disciplinary action that their right of private action was in that, too, as well.

Right.

And the penalties can be seemingly steep.

It says in the bill, excluding reasonable attorney's fees and litigation costs, any prevailing claimant shall be awarded no less than $10,000, but no more than $100,000 cumulative cumulatively per action.

Pretty steep.

How did you arrive at those numbers?

Well, you know, one of the things that if you do not limit the number, it could be a lot steeper.

You know, in regards to these cases, especially if it's a jury award.

So we wanted to make sure that, you know, it was significant to motivate, I guess, accountability with our universities to not practice those principles that we have in there that are excluded.

So that's kind of the hook in there for accountability as well as reporting as well.

There is some concern that perhaps measures like these could dish incentivize certain populations of students, underrepresented minorities, ethnic, social minorities from going to Kentucky public universities, and thereby that could exacerbate the labor shortages that Kentucky is experiencing from an economic development standpoint.

How wise, how smart is this legislation?

You know, I don't really think that this is something that that people really focus on.

Like I said, I think our federal laws, state laws that we have that are on the books was doing a good job of this.

I think that this was something that's been developed over the last 8 to 10 years, and that seems to be a lot of people adopting.

But I've found that there are companies now that are getting rid of all their data because they say it creates such a toxic work environment.

They're for their employees and it's just not been beneficial for them.

So we see a lot of people doing away with it and there seems to be a movement towards that because of that.

And I think that students want freedom of speech.

I think this is something that preserves that.

You know, I know for me, I lived 17 years in Southern California.

The church I went to, I was a minority, you know, because we had so many different racial, diverse city within our church.

And it was great.

We loved it.

I just think that's what we all want.

We all want to see.

And I just don't think this helps promote it.

The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education sent Katie a statement about Senate Bill six.

Quote, It says, CPE is aware of the bill filed by Senator Wilson and we are monitoring its progress while engaging in conversation with legislators on the possible effects of this bill in its current form and quote.