Grand Canyon Times

Katie Hobbs, Governor of Arizona, has announced the creation of a "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility Council." This council is intended to promote diversity initiatives within state agencies. However, Senator Jake Hoffman has expressed concerns that this move may conflict with existing state law.

According to A.R.S. 41-1494, public funds cannot be used for training that attributes blame or judgment based on race, ethnicity, or sex. Senator Hoffman stated that he had championed legislation in 2021 to prevent such initiatives from being funded by taxpayer dollars. He described diversity training as "divisive and racist progressive propaganda" and emphasized that it could undermine efforts to serve citizens and disrupt the work culture within state agencies.

Hoffman criticized Hobbs' focus on these issues instead of addressing what he described as more pressing concerns like inflation, gas prices, housing shortages, water security, and border safety. He also accused Hobbs of trying to appeal to her "radical left supporters" through the establishment of this council.

Senator Hoffman encouraged government employees in Arizona who encounter such initiatives at their workplace to file complaints with both the Arizona Ombudsman Citizens’ Aide and his office for potential legal action.

For further details, Kim Quintero can be contacted at the Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus.