Bill Text: NJ S2940 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits institution of higher education from authorizing, funding, or supporting hate speech or antisemitic events and organizations.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-11 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee [S2940 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S2940-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES BEACH
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits institution of higher education from authorizing, funding, or supporting hate speech or antisemitic events and organizations.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning antisemitism and hate speech in higher education and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are recognized by the United States Department of State as Foreign Terrorist Organizations;
b. On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack to deliberately target Israeli civilians, including the killing and abduction of men, women, children, and the elderly;
c. Hamas' stated goal is the entire destruction of the State of Israel and the murder of its Jewish citizens;
d. A disturbing number of student organizations of institutions of higher education placed blame solely upon the State of Israel for the attack and expressed support for the terrorist actions of Hamas through the glorification of violence and the use of antisemitic rhetoric;
e. Many administrations of institutions of higher education do not follow the practice of institutional neutrality and frequently speak out on public issues, but have failed to speak out clearly in support of Israel after the October 7 attack by Hamas, and have exposed their lack of regard for their Jewish and pro-Israel students; and
f. The glorification of violence and use of antisemitic rhetoric, a form of hate speech, creates a hostile learning and working environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff.
2. a. As used in this section, "antisemitism" means the same as the term is defined in the working definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016.
b. An institution of higher education shall not authorize, facilitate, provide funding for, or otherwise support any event or organization promoting antisemitism or hate speech on campus.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits an institution of higher education from authorizing, facilitating, providing funding for, or otherwise supporting any event or organization promoting antisemitism or hate speech on campus.
The bill defines "antisemitism" as the working definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016. According to the alliance, 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."
