Antisemitism Redefinition

HB 371 is an antisemitism redefinition bill that directs public K-20 educational institutions to apply a distorted definition of antisemitism when addressing discrimination claims. The definition includes the following as examples of antisemitism: “[a]pplying double standards to the State of Israel by requiring of it behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation,” “work of a multilateral organization investigating Israel for peace or human rights violations, and “[d]enying the Jewish people their right to self determination and denying Israel the right to exist.” Related Bills: HB 741, SB 1272, HB 839.

SB 1272 is an antisemitism redefinition bill that directs public K-20 educational institutions to apply a distorted definition of antisemitism when addressing discrimination claims. The definition includes the following as examples of antisemitism related to Israel: “[d]emonizing Israel,” “[a]pplying a double standard to Israel,” including by “focusing peace or human rights investigations only on Israel,” or “[d]elegitimizing Israel by denying the Jewish people the right to self-determination and denying Israel the right to exist.” Related Bills: HB 741, HB 371, HB 839.

HB 741 is an antisemitism redefinition law that directs public K-20 educational institutions to apply a distorted definition of antisemitism when addressing discrimination claims. The definition includes the following as examples of antisemitism related to Israel: “[d]emonizing Israel,” “[a]pplying a double standard to Israel,” including by “focusing peace or human rights investigations only on Israel,” or “[d]elegitimizing Israel by denying the Jewish people the right to self-determination and denying Israel the right to exist.” 

The governor signed the bill while on a trip to Israel. When the bill was first introduced, it included hate crimes enhancements based on the distorted definition, but later versions deleted that language. Related Bills: SB 1272, HB 839, HB 371.

HB 839 is an antisemitism redefinition bill that directs public postsecondary educational institutions to apply a distorted definition of antisemitism when addressing discrimination claims. The definition includes the following as examples of antisemitism related to Israel: “[d]emonizing Israel,” “[a]pplying a double standard to Israel,” including by “focusing peace or human rights investigations only on Israel,” or “[d]elegitimizing Israel by denying the Jewish people the right to self-determination and denying Israel the right to exist.” The introduced version of the bill did not include the definition; it was introduced and adopted as a subsequent amendment to the bill. The bill also requires the Florida College System to annually assess intellectual freedom and “viewpoint diversity.” Related Bills: HB 371, HB 741, SB 1272.