Kentucky senator launches 1-2 punch to DEI policy in government, K-12

FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — On the coattails of a bill filed on Wednesday by Rep. Jennifer Decker, a pair of bills filed by the Kentucky Senate aim to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy and offices in the state’s government, as well as K-12 education.

Sen. Lindsey Tichenor filed the bills—SB 164 and SB 165—on Thursday.

SB 164 would create new sections of current state law that would prohibit any public agency from giving “preferential treatment to people or entities based on religion, race, sex, color, or national origin when they contract or seek employment with the state or local government.”

This bill is also heavily focused on state employee training, forbidding government staff in trainer roles from incentivizing diversity or inclusion initiatives on a financial or policy level, as well as terminating funding for DEI offices in local and state governments.

Any state or local government body that would violate SB 164, if it gets signed into law, would reportedly be liable for civil action.

SB 164 specifies that Kentucky’s Office of Diversity, Equality, and Training would be simplified to “Office of Employee Training” if the bill is signed into law.

The other bill, SB 165, applies similar changes to the Kentucky Department of Education’s infrastructure—amending current state laws to remove DEI positions and policies from the state’s school districts.

If passed, SB 165 would partially take effect Feb. 1, 2026. Both bills carry an emergency designation, meaning SB 164 and parts of SB 165 would become state law upon signature or veto override.

SB 164 and SB 165 can each be viewed in their entirety on the Kentucky General Assembly website.