SPRINGFIELD, IL – During the General Assembly’s April 15th Appropriations-General Services Committee hearing, State Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) questioned administrators from the Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion (CEI) regarding the state’s continued commitment to what he described as destructive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.
Rep. Halbrook pointed to the commission’s stated purpose on its website, which includes goals such as “expanding access to state contracts for minorities, women, disabled people, etc., and to assist the state in enhancing the equity and inclusion throughout its workforce.”
Halbrook also highlighted CEI’s FY2027 appropriation request of approximately $5.6 million. He says the price tag is far greater than the effectiveness of the program as there has been over a nearly 50% decrease in participating businesses, from 5,400 to 2,782.
Rep. Halbrook said, “Since the inception of this commission, results have deteriorated dramatically. This panel has come before us today asking for more money, knowing full well we have already wasted millions of dollars on what has proven to be a failed idea.”
Halbrook concluded, “Not only are the stated goals not being met, but they are literally making it worse. This commission has spent approximately $28 million dollars, not including the nearly $5 million dollars in commissioners salaries in the last 5 years. This commission is an embarrassment to this great state and a blatant abuse of taxpayer dollars.”
More information about the Commission on Equity and Inclusion is available here:
https://cei.illinois.gov/about-the-commission/executive-leadership.html
For more information, please contact Rep. Halbrook’s office at 217-342-0220 or visit his website at RepHalbrook.com.
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State Representative Brad Halbrook, is currently in his 7th term as State Representative in the Illinois General Assembly. Rep. Halbrook’s 107th district includes several communities in the following Central Illinois counties: Macon, Shelby, Christian, Effingham, Montgomery, Cumberland, and Moultrie. Rep. Halbrook dedicates his term in office to pursuing conservative public policy, holding government accountable, and fighting high state and local taxes.