Bill > HB0549

This bill amends Utah state law to explicitly define and address antisemitism across multiple sections of legal code. The bill adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism, which includes both a formal definition and a set of contemporary examples of antisemitic behavior. In the antidiscrimination provisions, the bill adds antisemitism as a specific form of national origin discrimination, ensuring that individuals are protected from discrimination based on antisemitism in business establishments, public accommodations, and state-regulated enterprises. Additionally, the bill modifies criminal penalty enhancement statutes to explicitly consider antisemitism as a potential motivating factor when determining whether a crime was targeted based on a victim's personal attributes. When a court considers whether a defendant selected a victim due to a personal attribute, they must now specifically evaluate whether antisemitism was a motivating factor. The bill provides clarity and legal recognition of antisemitism as a form of discrimination and potential motivation for bias-motivated crimes, with the amendments set to take effect on May 7, 2025.

https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/HB0549.html