Texas Border Business
Austin, TX – March 21, 2025– In a major development in Texas education policy, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 12 on Thursday, which would prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in public K–12 schools across the state.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick strongly supports the bill and prioritized it as part of his 2025 legislative agenda. It now advanced to the Texas House of Representatives for further consideration.
The legislation seeks to bar public schools from establishing or funding DEI offices, mandating DEI training, or implementing programs that promote “differential treatment or special benefits” based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Bill Overview
SB 12 proposes the creation of a new section under the Texas Education Code (Chapter 27) that explicitly defines and bans certain DEI-related activities in public primary and secondary schools.
Key provisions include:
• A ban on creating or maintaining DEI offices or departments within any K–12 public school district.
• A prohibition on mandatory DEI training for staff or students.
• A restriction on using state funds for DEI initiatives, programs, or consultants.
The bill defines DEI programs broadly, including any effort that promotes “preferential or disadvantageous treatment” based on categories such as race, ethnicity, or gender identity.
If enacted, the law would take effect on September 1, 2025.
With the bill now in the Texas House, it has been referred to the House Committee on Public Education as of March 21, 2025. Debate in the lower chamber is expected to mirror the Senate’s, with intense public and political scrutiny likely in the coming weeks.
If the House passes the bill and Governor Greg Abbott signs it into law, Texas would become one of the first states to explicitly ban DEI initiatives in public K–12 education, following similar moves at the university level in 2023.
Stay tuned for updates as SB 12 continues through the Texas Legislature.
