COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A petition drive seeking the repeal of a recent Ohio law banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs as well as faculty strikes at public colleges and universities has fallen short of the signatures needed to place it before voters, organizers announced Thursday. Surrounded by boxes of petitions, the organizers said they lacked the time and support to collect all 250,000 signatures needed to place a referendum on November’s ballot seeking to overturn the bill, which makes several higher education policy changes including the ban on DEI programs. Absent those signatures, Senate Bill 1 is now free to become law on Friday, its initial effective date.