State Representative Nate Schatzline (R-Fort Worth) has introduced two bills aimed at further expanding the bans on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs within government agencies in Texas.

Schatzline took to X on February 20 to make the announcement:

Schatzline attached a press release making his case for the bills. In it, he called DEI “an agenda that fuels division, fosters racism, and discriminates against countless hardworking Americans.”

He then stated that DEI programs are un-American.

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“Our nation was built on the foundation of hard work, merit, and personal responsibility— principles that lead to true success, not skin color. Yet, DEI has infiltrated every corner of our society, wasting taxpayer dollars on divisive policies that serve only to pit us against one another.”

Schatzline said that his proposed bills “enforce harsh penalties on those who refuse to comply with the law” and that taxpayers should not be forced to fund “radical ideology.”

He added that there are real-world risks if these bills do not become law. “If we don’t pass these bills, cities and counties across Texas will keep wasting tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on DEI nonsense—and hardworking Texans will continue to face discrimination,” Schatzline told The Dallas Express.

The language of HB 2770 says that “A municipality that is determined…. [to have violated this law] may not receive grant funds for a period of two years following the date of the determination.” It also charges the comptroller with developing rules to implement the law “uniformly among the state agencies” that grant funds to municipalities.

The text of HB 2821 authorizes similar penalties for counties, adding any county found to violate the law “may not adopt an ad valorem tax rate that exceeds the county’s no-new-revenue tax rate for the three tax years that begin on or after the date of the determination.”

Both laws have an effective date of September 1, 2025, and authorize the Attorney General to take legal action against violators.

Numerous DEI offices exist throughout the Lonestar State. The City of Dallas and Dallas County both have Equity and Inclusion offices with attendant staff.

A 2024 ban on DEI in Texas public universities spurred a debate on the merits of the programs in academic settings.

“Texas is one of the most diverse states in the nation, and our institutions of higher education should reflect that diversity,” said Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) in a press release supporting the ban as it was being contemplated in the state legislature. “However, the elevation of DEI offices, mandatory diversity statements, political litmus tests, and diversity training have the opposite effect and only further divides. DEI programs have become a million-dollar industry at taxpayer-funded institutions–yet they have made no progress advancing or increasing diversity.”

Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Missouri City) wrote in opposition, “By stifling open discussions on race, gender, and social justice, this legislation denies our young minds the opportunity to understand the diverse world they live in and perpetuates the cycle of ignorance and discrimination.”

Schatzline’s bills mirror an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump on his second day in office. The Trump Administration directed employees in federal diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility offices to be placed on administrative leave, and one administration official said the administration intends to “dismantle the DEI bureaucracy,” The Dallas Express reported.

The Trump administration’s actions had a direct impact on private universities in Texas. Texas Christian University yanked promotional material for its DEI program after Trump forbade federal funds from going to universities with such a program, per KERA.

There have also been statewide bans on DEI in Texas. Governor Greg Abbott directed “all Texas state agencies to eliminate any forms of DEI policies and to treat all people equally regardless of race,” according to a January 31 press release.