REFOCUS Act; enact.
An Act To Enact The "requiring Efficiency For Our Colleges And Universities System (refocus) Act"; To Establish The "mississippi University System Efficiency Task Force" To Examine The Efficiency And Effectiveness Of The Public University System In Mississippi, As It Relates To The Universities' Collective Mission Of Enrolling And Graduating More Degreed Mississippians And Retaining Them In The State, And Anticipated Nationwide Challenges With Regard To Demographic Shifts And A Projected Overall Decline In Enrollment; To Require The Task Force To Develop Recommendations To The Legislature On Changes To Policy And Laws In Mississippi With A Goal Of Increasing The Efficiency Of The Public University System In The State; To Set The Membership Of The Task Force; To Provide For Other Provisions Related Thereto, Including Per Diem And Voting; To Establish The Purpose Of Section 4 Of This Act; To Define Terms; To Require Public Institutions Of Higher Learning And Community Colleges To Ensure That Each Unit Does Not Establish Or Maintain A Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Office; To Ensure Universities And Colleges Treat Each Student, Faculty, And Staff Member Fairly; To Require Universities And Colleges To Make A Report To Their Respective Governing Boards; To Require The Governing Boards To Make Reports To The Legislature; And For Related Purposes.
2025 Regular Session
The Board of Trustees of the Institution of Higher Learning and the Mississippi Community College Board shall ensure that each unit of the institutions and colleges: (a) Do not [...] (i) Establish or maintain a diversity, equity and inclusion office; (ii) Hire or assign an employee of the institution or contract with a third party to perform the duties of a diversity, equity and inclusion office; (iii) Compel, require, induce or solicit any person to provide a diversity, equity and inclusion statement.
"Diversity, equity and inclusion" includes: (i) Any effort to manipulate or otherwise influence the composition of the faculty or student body with reference to race, sex, color, or ethnicity. apart from ensuring colorblind and sex-neutral admissions and hiring in accordance with state and federal anti-discrimination laws; [...] (iv) Any effort to promote or promulgate trainings, programming, or activities designed and\or implemented with reference to [...] gender identity, or sexual orientation; (v) Any effort to promote as the official position of the administration, the college, the university, or any administrative unit thereof, a particularly widely contested position that: [...] 5. Promotes transgender ideology, gender-neutral pronouns, heteronormativity, gender theory, sexual privilege or related formulation of these concepts.
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 2025-02-06 | Motion to Reconsider Entered |
| 2025-02-06 | Passed |
| 2025-02-06 | Motion to Recommit Lost |
| 2025-02-06 | Committee Substitute Adopted |
| 2025-02-03 | Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub |
| 2025-01-20 | Referred To Universities and Colleges |