By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

Republicans in the Iowa Senate have approved a House bill that bars D.E.I. initiatives at all levels of Iowa government, but senators scaled back some parts of the legislation.

The State of Iowa provides Iowa Tuition Grants to low income students at Iowa private colleges. The House bill would have prohibited students from getting a grant if their school had diversity, equity or inclusion programs. Without debate, the Senate voted to strip that part out of the bill.

The legislation prohibits D.E.I. offices, staff and programs at the state’s community colleges, in state agencies and in city and county governments. However, the senate also tweaked how the bill defines diversity, equity and inclusion.

“The original definition could cause some confusion around some of our functions around the state,” Republican Senator Ken Rozenboom of Pella said, “such as St. Patrick’s Day parades or Tulip Time activities.” Tulip Time, in Pella, is a celebration of the city’s Dutch heritage.

The bill, because of those changes, goes back to the House for review. Rozenboom, wrapping up Senate debate of the bill, called D.E.I. a divisive ideology.

“I would suggest that the opposite of D.E.I. — Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — is M.E.I.,” Rozenboom said. “Merit, Excellence and Intelligence.”

Democrats in the Senate voted against the bill. Senator Sarah Trone Garriott, a Democrat from West Des Moines, said D.E.I. initiatives attract new people to Iowa. “This legislation actually criminalizes those efforts to build our workforce,” Trone Garriott said. “It’s going to hurt our state.”

Last year, Governor Reynolds signed a law that banned D.E.I. offices and programs at the three state universities. Last month, the Trump Administration required every K-12 school to certify all D.E.I. programs had ended.