SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT, WAGERING, TOURISM & HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1292

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  june 20, 2024

      The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1292.

      As amended by the committee, this bill establishes a State definition of anti-Semitism. Under the bill, the term “definition of anti-Semitism” refers to the definition adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016, which states that “antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.” The definition would include the IHRA’s “contemporary examples of antisemitism.”

     The bill provides that in reviewing, investigating, or deciding whether there has been a violation of any policy, law, or regulation prohibiting discriminatory acts, the State must take into consideration this definition of anti-Semitism adopted by the IHRA for purposes of determining whether the alleged act was motivated by anti-Semitic intent.

     Nothing contained in the bill would be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, or paragraph 6 of Article I of the New Jersey State Constitution. As amended by the committee, nothing in the bill would be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right to criticize the government of the State of Israel in a manner similar to that leveled against any other country. Nothing in the bill would be construed to conflict with local, State, or federal anti-discrimination laws or regulations.

     This bill also appropriates $100,000 to the Office of the Attorney General for the creation of a public awareness campaign to promote bias crime reporting. Through extensive community outreach, the citizens of New Jersey will be empowered to identify and report bias crimes using the existing bias crime reporting hotline within the New Jersey Bias Crimes Reporting Unit. This appropriation represents an investment in safety and collective action against bias crimes, including acts considered anti-Semitic.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The amendments:

      (1)  cite the IHRA’s definition, which states that “antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities;” and

      (2)  provide that nothing in the bill would be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right to criticize the government of the State of Israel in a manner similar to that leveled against any other country.