Emily Brooker Intellectuval Diversity Act passes House

The Emily Brooker Intellectual Diversity Act, inspired by the problems faced by the former Missouri State University student who sued the university after a professor required her and other students to write letters to the Missouri legislature promoting gay adoption, passed the House Thursday by a vote of 92-61.
Those voting for the bill included Joplin-area representatives Ron Richard, R-Joplin, Kevin Wilson, R-Neosho, Ed Emery, R-Lamar, Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City, and Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin. Ms. Ruestman was a co-sponsor of the bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield.
The bill summary from the House website says:

This bill establishes the Emily Brooker Intellectual Diversity Act, which defines intellectual diversity for reporting purposes at public higher education institutions. The Coordinating Board for Higher Education will require, as of December 31, 2008, an annual report describing steps taken by each institution to
ensure intellectual diversity, which must be posted on the institution's web site. The list of possible steps, which is not mandatory, includes incorporating intellectual diversity, such as race and gender, into admissions and hiring criteria; ensuring religious freedom is protected in teaching and program development guidelines; asking about intellectual diversity on student course evaluations; and permitting diversity complaints to be filed directly with the governing board. Students must be notified that measures are in place to promote intellectual diversity and how to report alleged violations of institutional
policy.

Considering that Miss Brooker's complaint was handled quickly and fairly the university and that there seems to be no pattern of this type of problem in Missouri colleges and universities, there did not seem to be a crying need for this legislation. All it does is require reams of endless paperwork signifying nothing.