South Carolina House advances controversial anti-DEI bill in party line vote

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — In a vote along party lines Wednesday evening, South Carolina moved one step closer to passing a bill that takes a clear stance against diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education.

The South Carolina House of Representatives passed H.4289 by an 84-30 vote. All Democrat representatives present during elected to vote no.

"We oppose the far right effort to make our college campuses less diverse, less equitable, and less inclusive," South Carolina House Democrats posted in a statement on X.

READ MORE: "Anti-DEI bill moves through the Statehouse, bringing concern for local student leaders."

H.4289, also known as the anti-DEI bill, bans the use of diversity pledges in college admissions and job decisions, stops required diversity training, and codifies free speech to ensure people aren't discriminated "on the basis of viewpoint discrimination."

The bill has sparked concern from local students and diversity leaders.

“It is just a political ploy right now and they're playing with our education,” said Kristen Graham, a student leader at the College of Charleston, on March 21. "It's micromanaging of less than 1% of funding without any accountability to their lack of acknowledgment and their lack of clarity and paying attention to all the other fundings that are going around. It's just disappointing to see our representatives not representing us at all.”

Rep. Jordan Pace (R-Berkeley) was one of 22 co-sponsors of the bill and viewed it as a step toward accountability.

“So really that's just a tracking thing to see what exactly is going on because what we got last year was just money," Pace said on March 21. "Just here's how much we're spending.”

The bill will now head over to the Senate, which will follow a similar process.