JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order Tuesday that directs all Missouri state agencies to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Executive Order 25-18 now prohibits the use of state funds for DEI initiatives and bars state agencies from factoring DEI into hiring decisions, according to Kehoe’s office.
The executive order comes amid a broader Republican effort to scale back DEI policies, which critics argue promote preferential treatment based on race, gender and other characteristics.
“Missourians deserve a government that treats all individuals equally, without preferential treatment or discrimination based on immutable characteristics,” said Gov. Kehoe via news release. “Our state agencies must operate under a framework that ensures fairness, equal opportunity, and merit-based decision-making. This order reaffirms Missouri’s commitment to a constitutional, color-blind approach that serves all citizens fairly.”
The full article is available at ozarksfirst.com.
(Story by Joey Schneider, ozarksfirst.com)
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