Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
On Thursday morning the Tennessee House of Representatives passed the “Dismantle DEI in Employment Act” along party lines by a 73-24 vote.
House Bill 622 (HB0622) is sponsored by freshman Rep. Aron Maberry (R-Clarksville-District 68) and acknowledges that the General Assembly finds local governments, local school districts and public institutions of higher education “are at their most effective” when employees “are the most highly qualified candidates for employment” with their respective employer and that “hiring decisions should be based on merit rather than any other metric.”
The legislation dictates that these entities “shall not base an employment decision on any metric that considers an applicant’s or employee’s race, ethnicity, sex, age, or any other demographic characteristic, rather than on individual merit, qualifications, veteran status, or lawful eligibility criteria.”
Additionally, the state Board of Education “shall not adopt a policy that promotes educator diversity based on race, ethnicity, sex, age, or any other demographic characteristic, rather than on individual merit, qualifications, veteran status, or lawful eligibility criteria. Any policy previously adopted by the board in conflict with this subsection is void and of no effect.”
HB0622 was met with heated opposition by Democrats resulting in party members presenting 10 different neutering amendments on the House floor.
These Democrat amendments included attempts to rename the “Dismantle DEI in Employment Act” to instead be known as either the “Caucasian Male Prosperity Act,” the “Dismantle Civil Rights Act,” the “White Fragility Act,” the “Harmful Workplace Act,” or even simply “Another Racist Act.”
Two more amendments proposed that the words “shall not” be substituted by the word “shall.”
Another amendment proposed that the following language be placed at the start of HB0622 in direct contradiction to the bill text:
“WHEREAS, The general assembly believes racial discrimination does exist in hiring decisions and that such discrimination is unlawful under the Tennessee Constitution and the Constitution the United States; and WHEREAS, The general assembly pledges to do more to protect the rights of people in our state who have faced discrimination for centuries; now, therefore, [insert remaining text of HB0622].”
Yet another one read that, “Regardless of whether applicants for employment are similar in metrics, experience, and skills, a county government shall not consider ensuring their workforce reflects the community, diversity, or beauty of a workplace that has different people in it because the preference for a status quo of whiteness as rightness is the intention of this bill.”
After nearly an hour of political grandstanding a vote was finally taken.
Voting in favor of the “Dismantle DEI in Employment Act” were Republicans Alexander, Atchley, Barrett, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Bulso, Burkhart, Butler, Capley, Carringer, Cepicky, Cochran, Crawford, Darby, Davis, Doggett, Eldridge, Faison, Farmer, Fritts, Garrett, Gillespie, Grills, Hale, Haston, Hawk, Helton-Haynes, Hicks G, Hicks T, Hill, Howell, Hulsey, Hurt, Jones R, Keisling, Kumar, Lafferty, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Lynn, Maberry, Marsh, Martin B, Martin G, McCalmon, Moody, Moon, Powers, Raper, Reedy, Reeves, Reneau, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Scarbrough, Sherrell, Slater, Sparks, Stevens, Terry, Todd, Travis, Vaughan, Vital, Warner, White, Williams, Wright, Zachary and Speaker Sexton.
Voting against the legislation were Democrats Behn, Brooks, Camper, Chism, Clemmons, Dixie, Freeman, Glynn, Hakeem, Hardaway, Harris, Hemmer, Johnson, Jones J, Love, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Parkinson, Pearson, Powell, Salinas, Shaw and Towns.
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. Adelia is The Tennessee Conservative’s on-site reporter for the Tennessee General Assembly. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
