Bill > SB87

This bill defines antisemitism for specific purposes, including its use as an educational tool for state agency employees in anti-discrimination and anti-bias training, and expands the existing offense of ethnic intimidation to include acts of riot and aggravated riot committed due to a person's race, color, religion, or national origin. The definition of antisemitism includes expressions of hatred towards Jewish people, their property, or their institutions, and provides contemporary examples such as making dehumanizing allegations, denying the Holocaust, accusing Jewish people of disloyalty to their nations, or holding them collectively responsible for the actions of the state of Israel, while clarifying that criticism of the state of Israel similar to that leveled against other countries is not included and that the definition does not infringe on First Amendment rights. Additionally, state agencies will consider this definition of antisemitism when reviewing, investigating, or deciding on violations of laws prohibiting discriminatory acts.