Missouri 2025 Regular Session

Missouri Senate Bill SB56 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	FIRST REGULAR SESSION
3	3	SENATE BILL NO. 56
4	4	103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
5	5	INTRODUCED BY SENATOR COLEMAN.
6	6	0088S.03I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
7	7	AN ACT
8	8	To amend chapter 162, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to diversity-equity-
9	9	inclusion requirements in elementary and secondary education institutions.
10	10
11	11	Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
12	12	Section A. Chapter 162, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1
13	13	one new section, to be known as section 162.1550, to read as 2
14	14	follows:3
15	15	162.1550. 1. As used in this section, "diversity - 1
16	16	equity-inclusion" or "DEI" shall mean education or training 2
17	17	requirements, policies, or programs on the subjects of 3
18	18	antiracism, implicit bias, or any other related instructions 4
19	19	or that promote differential treatment based on race, 5
20	20	gender, religion, ethnicity, and sexual preference, but not 6
21	21	including equal opportunity or equal employment opportunity 7
22	22	instruction designed to inform individuals about the 8
23	23	prohibition on discrimination based on protected class under 9
24	24	state and federal law. 10
25	25	2. A public school district or public charter school 11
26	26	shall not: 12
27	27	(1) Require students to agree with any statement 13
28	28	ascribing to DEI ideologies or to answer any questions 14
29	29	relating to DEI ideologies; 15
30	30	(2) Require or consider any student's statements on 16
31	31	DEI ideologies when determining a student's grades or 17
32	32	academic advancement; 18 SB 56 2
33	33	(3) Offer or provide students with any incentive, 19
34	34	benefit, grant, or other compensation for taking any 20
35	35	coursework related to DEI ideologies or otherwise for 21
36	36	participating in any activities related to DEI ideologies if 22
37	37	such incentive, benefit, grant, or other compensation is not 23
38	38	equally available to students taking any coursework or 24
39	39	participating in any activity that is not related to DEI 25
40	40	ideologies; 26
41	41	(4) Require employees, or prospective employees, who 27
42	42	are involved with the instructio n of students to agree with 28
43	43	any statement ascribing to DEI ideologies or to answer any 29
44	44	questions relating to DEI ideologies in any job application 30
45	45	or interview or during the course of the individual's 31
46	46	employment; 32
47	47	(5) Reward or give any advantage to any employee or 33
48	48	applicant for any statement advocating DEI ideologies in any 34
49	49	employment-related decisions, including, but not limited to, 35
50	50	compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment, 36
51	51	hiring, promotions, and tenure; 37
52	52	(6) Offer or provide any employees, or prospective 38
53	53	employees, who are involved with the instruction of students 39
54	54	with any incentive, benefit, grant, or other compensation 40
55	55	for receiving any instruction, including any professional 41
56	56	development materials, related to DE I ideologies or 42
57	57	otherwise for participating in any activities related to DEI 43
58	58	ideologies if such incentive, benefit, grant, or other 44
59	59	compensation is not equally available to any employees, or 45
60	60	prospective employees, who are involved with the instruction 46
61	61	of students and who are receiving any instruction, including 47
62	62	any professional development materials, or participating in 48
63	63	any activity that is not related to DEI ideologies; or 49 SB 56 3
64	64	(7) Require employees, contractors, volunteers, 50
65	65	vendors, or agents to ascribe to, study, or be instructed 51
66	66	with DEI ideologies or materials. 52
67	67	3. The attorney general or the prosecuting or circuit 53
68	68	attorney in the county in which an alleged violation of this 54
69	69	section occurs may bring a civil action, including an action 55
70	70	for injunctive relief, against a public school district or 56
71	71	public charter school for any violation of the provisions of 57
72	72	this section. Such action shall be brought in the county 58
73	73	where the violation is alleged to have occurred. 59
74	74	4. An attorney acting on behalf of a school district 60
75	75	or public charter school may request a legal opinion of the 61
76	76	attorney general as to whether a particular training 62
77	77	material or instructional or curricular material complies 63
78	78	with the provisions of this section. 64
79	79	5. Any parent of a student enrolled in a school 65
80	80	district or charter school may bring a civil action, 66
81	81	including an action for injunctive relief or for damages, 67
82	82	against the school district or charter school in which their 68
83	83	child is enrolled for any violation o f this section which 69
84	84	causes harm to their child. Such action shall be brought in 70
85	85	the county where the violation occurred. If the parent 71
86	86	prevails, the court shall award to such parent court costs 72
87	87	and reasonable attorney's fees and any other damages or 73
88	88	remedy which in the judgment of the court shall be 74
89	89	appropriate. 75
90	90	