Intellectual Diversity Act sent to Nodler committee

HB 213, The Emily Brooker Intellectual Diversity Act, named for the Missouri State University student who sued the university after a professor in the social work department required her and other students to write letters to the legislature favoring gay adoption, received it second reading in the Senate today and has been assigned to Sen. Gary Nodler's Education Committee.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, and co-sponsored by Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin.
According to the bill description:

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.