is one signature away from law, after senators voted 20-11 to concur with changes Wednesday, advancing it to Gov. Mike DeWine鈥檚 desk.
An overhaul of Ohio鈥檚 institutions of higher education, SB 1 gets rid of most mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion鈥攃olloquially, DEI鈥攖raining at public universities and colleges, requires so-called 鈥渋ntellectual diversity鈥� on certain subjects, and slashes university trustee terms.
It also bans faculty strikes, mandates their post-tenure performance reviews and requires a civics course focused on United States history and the free market.
鈥淭his is not about censure or about erasure, it鈥檚 not about exclusion. It鈥檚 about inclusion that transcends labels, because DEI has become a system that sorts us. It sorts us by race, by gender, and by identity, creating a culture where we are defined by our categories instead of our character,鈥� Sen. Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) said Wednesday.
Since February, SB 1 has moved swiftly mostly along partisan lines鈥攁lthough Sens. Bill Blessing (R-Colerain Twp.) and Tom Patton (R-Strongsville) as well as Reps. Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison), Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton) and Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) broke with their caucuses.
Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) said Wednesday following the vote he was 鈥渄elighted鈥� the bill cleared another hurdle.
Its passage came at the protest of Democratic lawmakers and hundreds of opponents, who have turned out in droves to testify and demonstrate against the bill. Ohio Legislative Black Caucus members condemned the bill Wednesday morning during an hour-long news conference, begging DeWine to veto it.
鈥淗ow dare you act like I鈥檓 a quota? How dare you act like I鈥檓 a DEI hire? I had to do more than to get to even being considered, let alone hired, so let鈥檚 be honest about where we are today. This is about control,鈥� Sen. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati) said Wednesday.
Still, DeWine will likely sign it, he said last week. 鈥淏ut I always reserve the right to make sure I know exactly what鈥檚 in the bill,鈥� DeWine said.
DeWine has two weeks to sign or veto it once it arrives. SB 1 could face a legal challenge, if signed.
Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro said last week he believes it significantly undercuts faculty rights to collective bargaining. When asked Wednesday, Ohio NAACP Vice President Derrick Foward said the Ohio NAACP was 鈥渨aiting to get direction from our national office.鈥�
鈥淲e believe we鈥檙e on firm legal ground,鈥� Cirino said.
