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Committee debate over $2.5M digital-access grant centers on 'DEI' language; motions fail
Summary
Lawmakers debated whether a $2.5 million federal Digital Equity Act grant for libraries should be cut because of language described as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Two motions — a substitute to strip most of the federal grant and the original funding motion — failed after tied or split votes in the House and Senate delegations.
A heated debate in the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on March 7 turned on whether federal digital-equity grants to libraries include diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals and whether the committee should accept $2.5 million for a "Digital Access for All Idahoans" grant.
Senator Doug Carlson moved a substitute that would strip the $2.5 million digital-access grant from the Idaho Commission for Libraries' request, saying, "This is funding, that the 2,500,000.0 is funding more DEI and the legislature has taken a stand against DEI programs. That is the reason for this motion." Senator Carlson…
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