Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act of 2025

The Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act of 2025 would modify Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to reintroduce a private right of action for violations tied to disparate impact, and it would create new accountability and coordination mechanisms to bolster Title VI compliance. Specifically, it adds a private civil cause of action for enforcement of any regulation relating to disparate impact that was promulgated and in effect on January 19, 2025. It also requires recipients of federal education funds to designate a compliance coordinator and publicize contact information for that coordinator, and it establishes a new Special Assistant for Equity and Inclusion in the Department of Education to promote and monitor Title VI compliance and inform individuals of their rights. A key design feature is that the private right of action would apply only to regulations relating to disparate impact that were in effect as of January 19, 2025, not to future regulations. In plain terms, the bill aims to strengthen enforcement of Title VI by giving individuals a new pathway to sue for certain regulatory violations tied to disparate impact, while simultaneously increasing on-the-ground and departmental oversight to prevent and address such discrimination in programs receiving federal funds.