Burgess Owens introduces bill codifying protections for schools against DEI mandates

EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) will introduce legislation on Wednesday to ensure that a school’s accreditation is not contingent upon it having to adopt “political litmus tests” such as diversity, equity, and inclusion mandates.

The Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2025 would prohibit education accreditors from pushing an educational institution to implement “partisan, political, or ideological viewpoints” in order to receive Higher Education Act funding or accreditation. The bill would also protect religious institutions’ ability to maintain their code of conduct and adherence to religious practices.