The bill, H.B. No. 2770, introduces Chapter 148 to the Local Government Code, which establishes a prohibition on municipal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. It defines DEI initiatives as those that promote practices aimed at achieving proportional representation of identity classification groups or that advocate for preferential treatment based on identity classifications such as race, color, religion, national origin, or ethnicity. The bill explicitly prohibits municipalities from spending public funds on DEI initiatives, hiring vendors for such purposes, or promoting events that exclude participation based on identity classifications. It also restricts municipalities from adopting policies that consider identity classifications in decision-making processes related to hiring, promotions, or resource allocation.

Additionally, the bill outlines enforcement mechanisms, allowing the attorney general to take legal action against municipalities that violate these provisions. If a violation is determined, the municipality would face restrictions on adopting ad valorem tax rates exceeding their no-new-revenue tax rate for three years and would be ineligible for state grant funds for two years. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: ()