Antisemitism Redefinition

This antisemitism redefinition bill amends the state’s anti-discrimination law applying to public schools and universities. The bill adopts a distorted definition of antisemitism that could encompass virtually all criticism of Israel, circumscribing protected political speech activities. After civil rights groups raised constitutional concerns about this bill and companion bill A5755, legislators introduced A5939/S4169, which removed several Israel-related examples from the definition.

This antisemitism redefinition bill adopts a definition of antisemitism for use in enforcing existing anti-discrimination laws and regulations. Though the bill does not focus on criticism of Israel, the bill declares that the IHRA definition—a distorted definition of antisemitism that could encompass virtually all criticism of Israel—includes examples of “anti-Israel acts” that cross the line into antisemitism. This statement bolsters ongoing efforts to use the IHRA definition to suppress protected speech. The bill was introduced alongside companion bill S4169.

This antisemitism redefinition bill amends the state’s anti-discrimination law applying to public schools and universities. The bill adopts a distorted definition of antisemitism that could encompass virtually all criticism of Israel, circumscribing protected political speech activities. After civil rights groups raised constitutional concerns about this bill and companion bill S4001, legislators introduced A5939/S4169, which removed several Israel-related examples from the definition.

This antisemitism redefinition bill requires the use of a distorted definition of antisemitism in hate crimes reporting and sentencing. Criticism of Israel and advocacy for Palestinian rights could be used as evidence of a hate crime or result in more severe sentences. 

The bill amends Arizona law to include antisemitism as one of the categories of discrimination for which the state must collect bias crime statistics, but adopts the IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its problematic contemporary examples, which include “[a]pplying double standards [to Israel] by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation” and “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.” The bill requires courts to consider criticism of Israel that falls within the IHRA definition as an aggravating factor for sentencing in criminal convictions. Civil rights groups and advocates raised concerns over how the definition could be used to chill protected speech, and the bill failed to pass both houses before the end of the session. Related bill: SB 1143.

This antisemitism redefinition bill requires the use of a distorted definition of antisemitism in hate crimes reporting and sentencing. Criticism of Israel and advocacy for Palestinian rights could be used as evidence of a hate crime or result in more severe sentences. 

The bill amends Arizona law to include antisemitism as one of the categories of discrimination for which the state must collect bias crime statistics, but adopts the IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its problematic contemporary examples, which include “[a]pplying double standards [to Israel] by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation” and “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.” The bill requires courts to consider criticism of Israel that falls within the IHRA definition as an aggravating factor for sentencing in criminal convictions. Civil rights groups and advocates raised concerns over how the definition could be used to chill protected speech, and the bill failed to pass both houses before the end of the session. Related bill: HB 2683.

This antisemitism redefinition bill requires state entities to consider the IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its examples related to Israel, in determining whether an alleged act of discrimination “was motivated by discriminatory antisemitic intent.” This distorted definition could encompass almost any criticism of Israel, and its adoption thereby encourages censorship of constitutionally protected advocacy for Palestinian rights. Related bills: HF 2303.

This antisemitism redefinition bill requires state entities to consider the IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its examples related to Israel, in determining whether an alleged act of discrimination “was motivated by discriminatory antisemitic intent.” This distorted definition could encompass almost any criticism of Israel, and its adoption thereby encourages censorship of constitutionally protected advocacy for Palestinian rights. This bill was withdrawn and replaced by the substantially similar bill HF 2504.

This antisemitism redefinition bill amends provisions of the state’s Human Rights Act applicable to public schools and universities to adopt a distorted definition of antisemitism that could encompass any and all criticism of Israel, circumscribing protected political speech activities. The bill makes it a civil rights violation for schools to fail to treat antisemitic discrimination in the same way as race discrimination, and defines antisemitism to include criticism of Israel, such as: “Applying a double standard to the State of Israel by requiring behavior of the State of Israel that is not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation, or focusing peace or human rights investigations only on the State of Israel.”

HB 1213 is an antisemitism redefinition law that incorporates by reference the distorted IHRA definition and its contemporary examples from the state’s 2019 antisemitism redefinition law, HB 741 (s. 1000.05(7)), for teaching Holocaust studies. The definition and its contemporary examples conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism. The law requires school districts to certify annually and provide evidence that the law’s requirements are met and calls for the Department of Education to create standards and curriculum. Related bills: SB 1628.

SB 1628 is an antisemitism redefinition bill that incorporates by reference the distorted IHRA definition and its contemporary examples from HB 741 (s. 1000.05(7)) for teaching Holocaust studies. The law requires school districts to certify annually and provide evidence that the law’s requirements are met and calls for the Department of Education to create standards and curriculum. Related bills: HB 1213