SB1316 • 2026

Prohibits diversity-equity-inclusion requirements in school districts and charter schools

Education Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Coleman, Mary Elizabeth; House handler: N/A
Last action: 2026-01-27
Official status: Second Read and Referred S Education Committee
Effective date: 2026-08-28

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Prohibits diversity-equity-inclusion requirements in school districts and charter schools

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1316 - This act establishes provisions relating to diversity-equity-inclusion requirements in school districts and charter schools.

What This Bill Does

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1316 - This act establishes provisions relating to diversity-equity-inclusion requirements in school districts and charter schools.
The act defines diversity-equity-inclusion or "DEI" as education or training requirements, policies, or programs on the subjects of antiracism, implicit bias, or any other related instructions that promote differential treatment based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, and sexual preference, but not including instruction on state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination.
The act prohibits school districts and charter schools from requiring students, employees, and prospective employees to ascribe to, study, be instructed with, or answer questions relating to DEI, as set forth in the act.
The act further prohibits school districts and charter schools from offering any student, employee, or prospective employee any incentive, benefit, grant, or other compensation for receiving any instruction or professional development relating to DEI, except in cases where the same incentive, benefit, grant, or compensation is equally available to individuals who are not involved in the DEI instruction or professional development.

Limits and Unknowns

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Bill History

2026-01-27 S242
Second Read and Referred S Education Committee
2026-01-07 S80
S First Read
2025-12-01 Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate
Prefiled

Official Summary Text

The following summaries of this bill are available:

Print All Summaries

Introduced

Print

SB 1316 - This act establishes provisions relating to diversity-equity-inclusion requirements in school districts and charter schools. The act defines diversity-equity-inclusion or "DEI" as education or training requirements, policies, or programs on the subjects of antiracism, implicit bias, or any other related instructions that promote differential treatment based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, and sexual preference, but not including instruction on state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination.

The act prohibits school districts and charter schools from requiring students, employees, and prospective employees to ascribe to, study, be instructed with, or answer questions relating to DEI, as set forth in the act. The act further prohibits school districts and charter schools from offering any student, employee, or prospective employee any incentive, benefit, grant, or other compensation for receiving any instruction or professional development relating to DEI, except in cases where the same incentive, benefit, grant, or compensation is equally available to individuals who are not involved in the DEI instruction or professional development. A school district or charter school shall not reward or give any advantage to any employee or job applicant for any statement advocating DEI ideologies in employment-related decisions. Finally, employees, contractors, volunteers, vendors, or agents of a school district or charter school shall not be required to ascribe to, study, or be instructed with DEI ideologies or materials.

The Attorney General or the prosecuting or circuit attorney in the county in which a violation of the act occurs may bring a cause of action against any school district or charter school that violates the act. An attorney acting on behalf of a school district or charter school may request an opinion of the Attorney General as to whether a particular training material or instructional or curricular material complies with the provisions of the act. A parent of a student enrolled in a school district or charter school may bring a civil action, including an action for injunctive relief or for damages, against the school district or charter school for any violation of the act that causes harm to such parent's child.

This act is identical to SB 56 (2025).
OLIVIA SHANNON

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1316
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR COLEMAN.
3960S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapter 162, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to diversity -equity-
inclusion requirements in elementary and secondary education institutions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 162, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1
one new section, to be known as section 162.1550, to read as 2
follows:3
162.1550. 1. As used in this section, "diversity- 1
equity-inclusion" or "DEI" shall mean education or training 2
requirements, policies, or programs on the subjects of 3
antiracism, implicit bias, or any other related instructions 4
or that promote differential treatment based on race, 5
gender, religion, ethnicity, and sexual preference, but not 6
including equal opportunity or equal employment opportunity 7
instruction designed to inform individuals about the 8
prohibition on discrimination based on protected class under 9
state and federal law. 10
2. A public school district or public charter school 11
shall not: 12
(1) Require students to agree with any statement 13
ascribing to DEI ideologies or to answer any questions 14
relating to DEI ideologies; 15
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(2) Require or consider any student's statements on 16
DEI ideologies when determining a student's grades or 17
academic advancement; 18
(3) Offer or provide students with any incentive, 19
benefit, grant, or other compensation for taking any 20
coursework related to DEI ideologies or otherwise for 21
participating in any activities related to DEI ideologies if 22
such incentive, benefit, grant, or other compensation is not 23
equally available to students taking any coursework or 24
participating in any activity that is not related to DEI 25
ideologies; 26
(4) Require employees, or prospective employees, who 27
are involved with the instruction of students to agree with 28
any statement ascribing to DEI ideologies or to answer any 29
questions relating to DEI ideologies in any job application 30
or interview or during the course of the individual's 31
employment; 32
(5) Reward or give any advantage to any employee or 33
applicant for any statement advocating DEI ideologies in any 34
employment-related decisions, including, but not limited to, 35
compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment, 36
hiring, promotions, and tenure; 37
(6) Offer or provide any employees, or prospective 38
employees, who are involved with the instruction of students 39
with any incentive, benefit, grant, or other compensation 40
for receiving any instruction, including any professional 41
development materials, related to DEI ideologies or 42
otherwise for participating in any activities related to DEI 43
ideologies if such incentive, benefit, grant, or other 44
compensation is not equally available to any employees, or 45
prospective employees, who are involved with the instruction 46
of students and who are receiving any instruction, including 47
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any professional development materials, or participating in 48
any activity that is not related to DEI ideologies; or 49
(7) Require employees, contractors, volunteers, 50
vendors, or agents to ascribe to, study, or be instructed 51
with DEI ideologies or materials. 52
3. The attorney general or the prosecuting or circuit 53
attorney in the county in which an alleged violation of this 54
section occurs may bring a civil action, including an action 55
for injunctive relief, against a public school district or 56
public charter school for any violation of the provisions of 57
this section. Such action shall be brought in the county 58
where the violation is alleged to have occurred. 59
4. An attorney acting on behalf of a school district 60
or public charter school may request a legal opinion of the 61
attorney general as to whether a particular training 62
material or instructional or curricular material complies 63
with the provisions of this section. 64
5. Any parent of a student enrolled in a school 65
district or charter school may bring a civil action, 66
including an action for injunctive relief or for damages, 67
against the school district or charter school in which their 68
child is enrolled for any violation of this section which 69
causes harm to their child. Such action shall be brought in 70
the county where the violation occurred. If the parent 71
prevails, the court shall award to such parent court costs 72
and reasonable attorney's fees and any other damages or 73
remedy which in the judgment of the court shall be 74
appropriate. 75
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