Dear [Your Elected Official],

<p>I urge you to vote NO on HB622 on Wednesday in the Cities and Counties Subcommittee.</p> <p>The bill seems to assume there are "quotas" in our local governments and public institutions of higher education. If a proposed amendment goes on the bill, it would include state government, too. The evidence is lacking. </p> <p>The bill seems to imply that job candidates from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds are not qualified. That is insulting and erroneous.</p> <p>The bill pretends that there has been no history of discrimination on the job. That is naive.</p> <p>Jumping on a bandwagon of attacking the words "diversity, equity, and inclusion" is bad public policy. We need a more careful approach to hiring in Tennessee.</p> <p>I hope you will ask probing questions of the sponsor when the bill comes up.</p> <p>Thank you for considering my views.</p>