Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe bans diversity programs from all state agencies
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive order that bans all state agencies from spending money on diversity programs and initiatives.
The order from Kehoe, a Republican, comes amid a broader push among Missouri Republicans to cut funding for programs designed to address historic inequalities. Kansas City activists and lawmakers have said the effort signals a step backward in the fight over civil rights.
It wasn’t immediately clear on Tuesday which programs in Missouri might face cuts. But Kehoe’s order, which he signed during Black History Month, prohibits every agency from using state funds on diversity initiatives and bars departments from using diversity in hiring decisions.
“This order reaffirms Missouri’s commitment to a constitutional, color-blind approach that serves all citizens fairly,” Kehoe said in a statement.
Missouri Republicans have for years sought to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, initiatives, arguing the policies treat white people unfairly or prioritize social justice over merit and achievement.
The effort has gained more traction this year as President Donald Trump takes aim at similar diversity programs nationally.
DEI and other diversity programs are typically organizational programs that seek to promote fair treatment and participation of all people, particularly among historically underrepresented groups.
The acronym often refers to diversity training for employees. But, similar to the use of Critical Race Theory or CRT in politics, DEI has also become a shorthand among conservatives for any effort to address systemic racism’s role in U.S. history or politics.
Defenders of the programs, including Black state lawmakers from Kansas City, have argued that diversity initiatives don’t prioritize one race over another — they instead try to address a history of discrimination against minority groups.
Rep. Mark Sharp, a Kansas City Democrat, said that he felt terrible for minority employees within Missouri’s state agencies. Sharp also questioned the timing of the order as Kansas City prepares to host World Cup matches in 2026.
“I think it’s a humongous slap in the face of the world community,” he said. “Right after we’re granted…a host city for the FIFA World Cup. Kansas City joining other major, major cities on the world stage and this is something that we do. I’m just ashamed.”
Gwen Grant, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, said in an email that diversity initiatives exist because discrimination exists. Kehoe’s order rolls “back the clock on civil rights and economic opportunity,” Grant said.
“Eliminating DEI will not create equality—it will reinforce inequality,” Grant said. “Governor Kehoe’s executive order is nothing more than a blatant attempt to erase the progress we’ve fought for decades to achieve. By banning DEI initiatives, he is not promoting fairness—he is codifying exclusion and discrimination under the false pretense of ‘equal treatment.’”
Kehoe’s order gives all state agencies 90 days to “conduct a comprehensive review” of all contracts, programs and policies to ensure they’re complying with the directive.
When Missouri lawmakers tried to add similar anti-DEI language to the proposed state budget in 2023, the move sent state agencies scrambling to figure out how their programs would be affected.
Some feared the state would lose out on federal funding while others questioned whether Missouri would be banned from working with any company with diversity-related policies. The budget language was ultimately removed in the Senate.
This story was originally published February 18, 2025 at 5:11 PM.
