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House passes bill restricting government actions based on personal characteristics; veterans provisions prompt concern
Summary
The House approved Senate Bill 289, which prohibits public education, state employment and licensing decisions based on listed 'personal characteristics.' Critics said the measure could unintentionally bar long‑standing veteran benefits and conflict with federal desegregation orders; proponents said it enforces equal treatment.
Representative Jeter, sponsor of Senate Bill 289, said the measure targets actions—hiring, admissions, licensing—that are taken because of a person's listed personal characteristic. "This bill instead focuses on actions and behaviors. It simply prohibits any public education, employment, or licensing action that's based upon a person's personal characteristic," he said, framing the measure as aligning state policy with federal law after the 2023 Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.
Opponents warned the language would unintentionally affect programs designed…
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