Bill

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.

HB 987 is an anti-boycott bill related to vacation rentals and specifically targeted AirBnB following the company’s decision to delist certain rental properties located in illegal Israeli settlements. The bill preempts local regulations of vacation rentals; a subsequent amendment prevents vacation rentals on the state’s anti-boycott blacklist from benefiting from the bill. Florida had added AirBnB to its blacklist of entities prohibited from benefiting from state investment over the company’s settlement delisting decision. AirBnB reversed its delisting decision in April 2019 and was removed from Florida’s blacklist.

This anti-boycott bill prohibits state agencies from contracting with or investing in any person or business that promotes or engages in boycotts of “allied nations,” including Israel and territories it occupies.

This anti-boycott law prohibits the Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System from taking into account whether a fund, company, or other investment vehicle is in Israel when making investment decisions.

This anti-boycott law prohibits the Arkansas Judicial Retirement System from taking into account whether a fund, company, or other investment vehicle is in Israel when making investment decisions.

This anti-boycott law prohibits the State Police Retirement Fund from taking into account whether a fund, company, or other investment vehicle is in Israel when making investment decisions.

This anti-boycott law prohibits the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System from taking into account whether a fund, company, or other investment vehicle is in Israel when making investment decisions.

This anti-boycott law prohibits the local policemen’s and firemen’s pension and relief fund from taking into account whether a fund, company, or other investment vehicle is in Israel when making investment decisions.

This anti-boycott law prohibits the Arkansas State Highway Employees’ Retirement System Fund from taking into account whether a fund, company, or other investment vehicle is in Israel when making investment decisions.