Source: Fox News
Summary
A bill passed in Virginia directs state agencies to consider the race and sex of small business owners when distributing funds for procurement and contracts. The bill aims to increase the utilization rate of small, women-owned, and minority-owned businesses (SWAM) to 42%. Experts say the bill is likely to face legal challenges, citing that it constitutes “clearly intentional discrimination against White men” and is unconstitutional. The bill has been criticized for setting aside government contracts for women and minority-owned businesses, and for requiring taxpayers to fund systems updates and staffing to “institutionalize discrimination”.
Our Reading
As expected, the matter has reached another stage.
The bill passes along party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed. The Governor’s desk is the next stop. Experts weigh in, citing Supreme Court decisions and the Fourteenth Amendment. The language of “inclusion” and “diversity” is used, while critics accuse the bill of “institutionalized wokeism” and “racial rigging”. The stage is set for a potential lawsuit, with business owners and taxpayers potentially demanding accountability.
One observation: the bill’s language and goals are framed as a matter of “equality” and “fairness”, yet the proposed solutions involve unequal treatment of certain groups.
Author: Evan Null
