Defeated Legislation

Legislation
S 2489 (2021)
Status
Defeated
Defeated On
January 2023
Type(s)
Anti-boycott
Full Text
Read S 2489 (2021) 

S 2489 requires an act of Congress in order to reverse Trump-era guidelines that require goods produced in Areas C and H2 in the West Bank to be labeled as “Made in Israel.” Republican Senator Marco Rubio, one of the bill’s sponsors, smears boycotts for justice while defending Israel’s illegal settlements to explain his support for the bill: “The bill would prohibit the Biden Administration from issuing new labelling guidelines that would help the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement target specific goods made in the territory controlled by Israel.

Defeated Legislation

Legislation
S 3467 (2022)
Status
Defeated
Defeated On
January 2023
Type(s)
Anti-boycott
Full Text
Read S 3467 (2022) 

S 3467 withholds U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) unless the Secretary of State certifies in writing that no UNRWA employee, contractor, or partner organization has criticized Israel, expressed support for boycotts for justice, or propagated antisemitic rhetoric. Examples of prohibited rhetoric include “describing Israelis as ‘occupiers’ or ‘settlers,’” expressing support for BDS, and advocating for the right of return. In defining antisemitism, the bill relies on the distorted IHRA definition, including its contemporary examples related to Israel. The IHRA definition has been widely criticized for encompassing nearly all criticism of Israel and circumscribing protected political speech activities. Related bills: S 2479, HR 4721

Defeated Legislation

Legislation
HR 4721 (2021)
Status
Defeated
Defeated On
January 2023
Type(s)
Anti-boycott
Full Text
Read HR 4721 (2021) 

HR 4721 withholds U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) unless the Secretary of State certifies in writing that no UNRWA employee, contractor, or partner organization has criticized Israel, expressed support for boycotts for justice, or propagated antisemitic rhetoric. Examples of prohibited rhetoric include “describing Israelis as ‘occupiers’ or ‘settlers,’” expressing support for BDS, and advocating for the right of return. In defining antisemitism, the bill relies on the distorted IHRA definition, including its contemporary examples related to Israel. The IHRA definition has been widely criticized for encompassing nearly all criticism of Israel and circumscribing protected political speech activities. Related bills: S 2479, S 3467

Defeated Legislation

Legislation
S 2479 (2021)
Status
Defeated
Defeated On
January 2023
Type(s)
Anti-boycott
Full Text
Read S 2479 (2021) 

S 2479 withholds U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) unless the Secretary of State certifies in writing that no UNRWA employee, contractor, or partner organization has criticized Israel, expressed support for boycotts for justice, or propagated antisemitic rhetoric. Examples of prohibited rhetoric include “describing Israelis as ‘occupiers’ or ‘settlers,’” expressing support for BDS, and advocating for the right of return. In defining antisemitism, the bill relies on the distorted IHRA definition, including its contemporary examples related to Israel. The IHRA definition has been widely criticized for encompassing nearly all criticism of Israel and circumscribing protected political speech activities. Related bills: HR 4721, S 3467.

Defeated Legislation

Legislation
HB 2673 (2022)
Status
Defeated
Defeated On
January 2023
Type(s)
Anti-boycott
Full Text
Read HB 2673 (2022) 

HB 2673 is an antisemitism redefinition bill that requires state agencies and public educational institutions to consider the distorted IHRA definition of antisemitism in assessing discrimination allegations in Tennessee’s public schools and universities. The bill specifically references the IHRA definition’s “contemporary examples of antisemitism” which include the following as examples of antisemitism related to Israel: “[a]pplying a double standards” to Israel,” or “[d]enying the Jewish people the right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.” The definition is so broad and vague that it could encompass nearly any criticism of Israel, circumscribing political speech in support of Palestinian rights, potentially in violation of the First Amendment. 

Defeated Legislation

Legislation
S 2434 (2022)
Status
Defeated
Defeated On
January 2023
Type(s)
Anti-boycott
Full Text
Read S 2434 (2022) 

S 2434 is an antisemitism redefinition bill that directs the state to consider the distorted IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its contemporary examples related to Israel, for the purpose of determining whether a discriminatory act had antisemitic intent. The legislative statement accompanying the text notes that the bill “establishes a State definition of anti-Semitism.” Similar bills (S 4001/H 5755 ) were defeated after civil rights groups raised constitutional concerns. Related bill:  A 3882.

Defeated Legislation

Legislation
A 3882 (2022)
Status
Defeated
Defeated On
January 2023
Type(s)
Anti-boycott
Full Text
Read A 3882 (2022) 

A 3882 is an antisemitism redefinition bill that directs the state to consider the distorted IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its contemporary examples related to Israel, for the purpose of determining whether a discriminatory act had antisemitic intent. The legislative statement accompanying the text notes that the bill “establishes a State definition of anti-Semitism.” Similar bills (S 4001/H 5755 ) were defeated after civil rights groups raised constitutional concerns. Related bill: S 2434.

Defeated Legislation

Legislation
H4917 (2022)
Status
Defeated
Defeated On
January 2023
Type(s)
Anti-boycott
Full Text
Read H4917 (2022) 

This anti-boycott bill prohibits investment of state retirement funds in entities, including non-profits, that engage in boycotts of Israel or territories occupied by Israel. Since 2015, South Carolina has had an anti-boycott law in effect (H 3583) that prohibits state contracts with companies that boycott South Carolina’s trading partners, including Israel. 

Defeated Legislation

Legislation
HB 394 (2022)
Status
Defeated
Defeated On
January 2023
Type(s)
Anti-boycott
Full Text
Read HB 394 (2022) 

This anti-boycott law prohibits state investment in entities that engage in boycotts of Israel. The law calls for the creation of a blacklist of companies engaged in prohibited boycotts and requires public agencies to divest from blacklisted companies. The bill’s legislative findings target boycott and divestment campaigns, including “environmental, social, or governance campaign[s]” and misrepresent boycotts for justice as based on “discriminatory decision[s] based on geographic or national origin.” 

Defeated Legislation

Legislation
SF 2183 (2022)
Status
Defeated
Defeated On
January 2023
Type(s)
Anti-boycott
Full Text
Read SF 2183 (2022) 

This antisemitism redefinition bill amends Iowa’s Civil Rights Act to adopt a distorted definition of antisemitism that could encompass any and all criticism of Israel, circumscribing protected political speech activities. The bill requires the consideration of the problematic IHRA definition, including the contemporary examples, 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,” when investigating discrimination complaints. As a result, political speech supportive of Palestinian rights could be deemed unlawful discrimination in the workplace, in public accommodations, and in educational institutions in Iowa. The bill was withdrawn after a companion bill (HF 2220) was passed.