The senators' letter to Texas boards of regents comes after requests to restore $400 million in universities funds that are absent in budget drafts.

At a public event last week, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said higher ed would get less funding if they don’t “kick DEI out of their schools,” a few weeks after lawmakers proposed a massive cut to public universities.

State senators are threatening to withhold funding increases to public colleges and universities that cannot prove they are in compliance with the state's ban on DEI practices.

In a letter, Sens. Brandon Creighton and Paul Bettencourt said they found “numerous” violations of the law, but didn’t provide specifics.