Complaint hotline for DEI law already receiving false complaints

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s DEI law goes into effect on July 1, and officials say a new complaint hotline already operating is receiving false complaints.

When HB261 was signed into law, it effectively prohibited Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs in Utah public education, higher education and government institutions. 

The hotline, which is part of the DEI law, has received 27 false complaints in the last week. State Auditor John Dougall said, “that’s a small number relative to what [they] experienced on the other complaint form.”

The other complaint form refers to the hotline used to implement the HB257 “bathroom bill,” which received thousands of “bogus” complaints, as described by Dougall. 

He said they launched this DEI hotline early to weed out false complaints.

“We launched it early to allow people to file whatever protest they want before the law actually goes into effect. So maybe they can get that out of their system,” he said.

Dougall said that when someone submits a complaint, his team submits it to the legislative management committee. But he’s not sure what happens next.

“While there is the ability for folks to file a complaint, there is actually no enforcement mechanism in the bill.” 

Related reading: 

• Navigating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on college campuses
• State auditor’s office inundated with “bogus” complaints about new bathroom law