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Texas Follows Federal Lead in Banning DEI Policies Across Government Agencies

Texas Follows Federal Lead in Banning DEI Policies Across Government Agencies

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Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued Executive Order GA-55, directing all state agencies to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies that use race, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics as a factor in decision-making. The executive order follows a similar federal directive issued by President Donald Trump on January 21, 2025, titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.” Both orders prohibit race-based government policies and emphasize merit-based hiring and decision-making.

Executive Order GA-55: Texas’ Ban on DEI Policies in State Agencies

Governor Abbott’s order requires all Texas executive branch agencies to eliminate any DEI-related policies, programs, or practices that consider race, ethnicity, or sex in hiring, training, or other government functions. The order states that any state-sponsored policies giving preferential treatment based on these factors violate constitutional principles and existing anti-discrimination laws.

According to the text of GA-55:

All state agencies must ensure that employment and contracting decisions are made solely based on individual merit and qualifications.

Any DEI-related policies, initiatives, training programs, or hiring preferences that consider race, ethnicity, or sex must be eliminated.

The executive order builds on Texas’ Senate Bill 17, which Governor Abbott signed into law in 2023. That legislation banned DEI offices and policies at Texas public universities, prohibiting mandatory diversity training and race-conscious hiring practices. GA-55 expands these restrictions to all state agencies, ensuring that similar measures are enforced across the Texas government.

Governor Abbott’s directive is rooted in constitutional and statutory provisions that prohibit government discrimination. The order cites the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Article I, Section 3 of the Texas Constitution, all of which bar discrimination based on race, color, or sex in government decision-making.

Federal Order: “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity”

Nine days before Abbott’s order, President Donald Trump issued a similar directive at the federal level. The executive order, titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” directs all executive departments and agencies to eliminate policies that grant preferential treatment based on race, sex, or other protected characteristics.

According to the White House order:

All federal agencies must immediately terminate policies, programs, and regulations that promote race- or sex-based preferences.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) mandates, hiring practices, funding, and training programs that consider race or gender must be revoked.

The order rescinds prior executive actions that established race-conscious policies in federal employment and contracting.

President Trump’s order also mandates a review of all federal agency policies to identify and remove any practices that conflict with federal anti-discrimination laws, particularly Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

The White House order argues that prior DEI initiatives created racial preferences that contradict constitutional principles and existing federal law. It revokes executive orders and agency policies implemented under previous administrations that promoted diversity-related hiring practices and training programs.

Both executive orders require government agencies at the state and federal levels to conduct internal reviews and eliminate any DEI-related policies that do not comply with merit-based employment and contracting requirements.

Both orders emphasize that hiring, contracting, and other government decisions must be based solely on individual merit and qualifications, rather than race, ethnicity, or gender considerations.

Broader Implications

With GA-55 and the federal executive order now in effect, both the Texas state government and the federal government have adopted policies that prohibit DEI-related programs and race-conscious decision-making. The orders reflect a policy shift toward strictly race-neutral employment and contracting practices within government agencies.

The full text of Executive Order GA-55 can be accessed here, and President Trump’s executive order can be accessed here.


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