Gov. Cox joined UPR's Tom Williams on Access Utah to kick off UPR’s coverage of the 2024 Legislative Session. Cox outlined what he’d like to see from the Legislature.
“For us there though there are two areas of real emphasis. The first is around housing and housing attainability. The second area that I'm really concerned about is homelessness,” he said.
He also expanded on his comments from December about diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Utah institutions, saying, “I believe that diversity is very important. I believe that inclusion should be a top priority in our universities, I believe that equality is foundational."
Cox added, "Sadly, I don't think that's how some versions of this have played out on our college campuses. They become much, much more divisive and exclusionary than inclusionary. That's really what this is about, can government force or should government force people into a political philosophy or political statement?”
Williams also spoke with legislative leadership to hear their perspectives on DEI programs and HB261, the Equal Opportunity Initiatives bill which would revise Utah’s DEI programs.
“As the legislation is drafted, I have concerns about what it's doing. It's erasing people. It's erasing who we are, by saying we're all the same one, we're not. If this bill passes, we're still not going to be silent,” said House Minority Leader Rep. Angela Romero.
Jennifer Dailey-Provost, House Minority Whip, said legislation against DEI programs seeks to solve a problem that does not exist. "Encouraging diversity and equity and inclusion in educational spaces is not a problem. I'm devastated and heartbroken that we have people in our state who seem so focused on creating a problem that just isn't there,” she said.
Romero also highlighted how the Equal Opportunity Initiatives bill doesn’t only affect higher education institutions, but also state agencies.
“We always talk about how we don't like the federal government infringing on our rights. But we are going to tie the hands of local government and public education,” she said.
