COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – A push to end ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ practices in South Carolina is gaining ground in among some lawmakers.

The new diversity, equity and inclusion bill is almost verbatim to one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders, and House Majority Leader, Representative Davey Hiott, said lawmakers must end DEI in South Carolina.

“I believe that what’s going on across this country, and to certain extent in South Carolina, it’s got out of control,” said Hiott. “We here tell the agencies that have formed a DEI program or a DEI office, and that’s their sole purpose, is to make sure that kind of stuff is done, taken care of. That kind of stuff’s got to stop in South Carolina.”

The bill is called the “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity Act” and it would ban government offices, school districts, and state colleges from taking part in programs and/or promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.

Lynn Teague, Vice President of League of Women Voters, said DEI has made South Carolina a better place.

“One of the most important things for South Carolina flourishing is all of its people having a chance to do a good job to moving the state forward,” Teague said.

Representative Doug Gilliam is the main sponsor of the bill, and said the biggest issue with DEI is the discrimination.

“People are judged for jobs, employment based on their race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, and I believe that is doing it instead of going by marriage. Who works hard? You know what I mean? That kind of stuff is going by certain characteristics that you can get points on,” Gilliam said.

When asked about how gender and minority businesses would be affected by this bill, Hiott said that free speech, federal education and amendments won’t be impacted.

There was another bill that was previously introduced regarding ending diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, but Hiott said it shouldn’t just stop at higher education; it needs to be stopped all over the state, in every organization and business.