Kentucky House today passed an RTD bill sending it to the Senate.

The Republican backed House bill four strips diversity, equity and inclusion policies in programs and offices from public universities.

Democrats tried to water down the bill with no success.

Here are some of the debate as we begin tonight's legislative update.

Historically, America has striven for equal opportunity, not subjective equity, which Dei now pursues through discrimination to admissions, hiring, and scholarship standards.

That shift with administrations whims.

This bill is not about racism.

This bill is about equal rights and equal protection for all.

We don't condone racism.

We abhor racism because we should be treating everybody the same.

One of the things I observed when running for this seat was the fact that at the time, out of 100 members, we only had 33 women.

No one has benefited more from diversity, equity and inclusion than white women.

We have Dei in civil rights, not simply to promote equality in future, but as a repayment and restitution of what has happened and what continues to happen today.

We're on a dangerous path to arrest a stock attack risk that will lead us back to a place and a space that we that we came from, and that will not be good for our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

And I think that what we've got to understand is that I think these children are smart enough to understand and know that we don't want to go back there.

One Democrat, Ashley Lafferty of Martin and Eastern Kentucky, sided with Republicans to pass House Bill four on a vote of 81 to 18.

The University of Kentucky released the following statement on House Bill four.

It says, quote, from an initial analysis, we believe the university is already in compliance with the key aspects of the legislation.

During the summer of 2024, President Eli Capelouto initiated a series of conversations with policymakers and dozens of members of the UK campus.

From those conversations and feedback received.

He announced a series of substantive policy changes.

As always, we appreciate the ongoing dialog we've been able to have with our policymakers about this and other issues.

End of, quote, that from Jay Blanton, University of Kentucky spokesperson.