INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Newly sworn-in Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) on Wednesday issued an executive order eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion practices from within the state’s government. The order comes from abiding by the Equal Protection Clause under the Fourteenth Amendment and by “ensuring all Hoosiers have equality of opportunity by eliminating DEI in state government.” Instead, Braun ordered the initiative be replaced with MEI, or “merit, excellence, and innovation.” Under the order, state agencies will not: Support diversity, equity, and inclusion positions, departments, activities, procedures or programs if they grant preferential treatment based upon one person’s particular race, color, ethnicity, or national origin, over that of another person. Require any person to participate in or receive any training, instruction, procedures, or programming if they endorse preferential treatment of one person’s particular race, color, ethnicity or national origin, over that of another person. Require any applicant for employment to provide a statement relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion or provide any applicant for employment preferential treatment for providing such a statement, over another person. Mandate any person to disclose their pronouns. Agencies will also be required to review their DEI programs, positions, activities, and departments for compliance and must “eliminate or revise” them by April 30. “The Chief Equity, Inclusion, and Opportunity Office in the Governor’s Office is hereby closed,” the order reads. The order did not clarify what “merit, excellence, and innovation” programs would include or how they would be implemented. This is one of 19 orders put in place Wednesday. Others include eliminating or reducing the amount of licenses needed in certain fields, removing educational requirements for state jobs, and the creation of nine different offices. Read the executive order eliminating DEI practices below: BRAUN EXECUTIVE ORDER FULL_DEIDownload #NEW: Indiana Gov. Mike Braun issues executive order eliminating DEI in state government. @WISHNews8 #Indianapolis According to the order, all state agencies should not:– Support diversity, equity, and inclusion positions, departments, activities, procedures or programs if…— Kyla Russell (@KylaBRussell) January 15, 2025