Anti-boycott

This bill amends the state’s 2016 anti-boycott law to exclude sole proprietorships, companies employing five or fewer employees, and contracts valued at less than $100,000 from the prohibition on state contracts with entities that engage in boycotts of Israel. The bill applies to boycotts targeting Israel, companies doing business in Israel, and companies licensed or authorized by Israel, which would encompass boycotts targeting illegal settlements. The amendments would limit the law’s application to those contracts whose subject matter is or might be affected by participation in the boycott. A similar bill was introduced in 2020 (HB 1058). These amendments would likely mean that Georgia’s anti-boycott law would not apply to individuals like journalist and filmmaker Abby Martin who is a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the University System of Georgia for cancelling her speaking engagement following her refusal to sign a written certification not to boycott Israel.

This anti-boycott bill targets boycott, divestment, and sanctions efforts as well as efforts to seek accountability via the United Nations for Israel’s ongoing violations of international law. While imposing a host of requirements on US funding for UNRWA, the Human Rights Council, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the bill also states that it is the “policy of the United States to take steps to repeal Resolution A/HRC/31/L.38,” which called for the creation of a database of entities contributing to Israel’s illegal settlements. The bill further requires the President to work to secure the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution that would label boycott, divestment, and sanctions activities as antisemitic.  

This anti-boycott defunding bill targets efforts to seek accountability via the United Nations for Israel’s ongoing violations of international law. The bill requires the United States government to cease its contributions to the United Nations until the President certifies that UN Security Council Resolution 2334 has been repealed. UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) reaffirmed that Israel’s illegal settlements constitute a flagrant violation of international law. The US broke from its practice of blocking UN accountability measures focused on Israel and abstained rather than vetoing the resolution, causing consternation among pro-Israel groups. Related Bill: S 107. 

This anti-boycott defunding bill targets efforts to seek accountability via the United Nations for Israel’s ongoing violations of international law. The bill requires the United States government to cease its contributions to the United Nations until the President certifies that UN Security Council Resolution 2334 has been repealed. UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) reaffirmed that Israel’s illegal settlements constitute a flagrant violation of international law. The US broke from its practice of blocking UN accountability measures focused on Israel and abstained rather than vetoing the resolution, causing consternation among pro-Israel groups. Related Bill: HR 769. 

This anti-boycott defunding bill prohibits state institutions of higher education from using state aid to fund or provide funds for membership in or travel to meetings of academic entities that engage in boycotts of countries that host New York state colleges, a short list that includes Israel. Schools that violate the prohibition are not eligible to receive state funds during the academic year in which the violation occurred. The bill provides exceptions for boycotts of countries determined by the United States to be state sponsors of terrorism, boycotts connected with labor disputes, or boycotts protesting unlawful discriminatory practices as determined by New York law. Similar bills have failed to pass in previous sessions (A. 7340, S. 2715, S. 4837).

This anti-boycott defunding bill prohibits state institutions of higher education from using state aid to fund or provide funds for membership in or travel to meetings of academic entities that engage in boycotts of countries that host New York state colleges, a short list that includes Israel. Schools that violate the prohibition are not eligible to receive state funds during the academic year in which the violation occurred. The bill provides exceptions for boycotts of countries determined by the United States to be state sponsors of terrorism, boycotts connected with labor disputes, or boycotts protesting unlawful discriminatory practices as determined by New York law. Similar bills have failed to pass in previous sessions (A. 7340, S. 2715, S. 4837).

This anti-boycott bill prohibits state investment in and state contracts with entities that engage in boycotts of Israel or companies based in Israel or territories it occupies. The bill requires the state to create a blacklist of corporations, non-profits, and groups engaged in prohibited boycotts. State agencies may not enter into contracts with blacklisted entities, and contractors must provide written certification that they are not on the blacklist. The state comptroller and public retirement funds are prohibited from investing in entities engaged in prohibited boycotts. Similar bills have failed to pass in previous sessions (S. 2430, A. 5847).

This anti-boycott defunding bill prohibits institutions of higher education that participate in or provide funding to any organization that boycotts a foreign academic institution from receiving state aid. The bill also prohibits state or local officers from being members of an organization that engages in such boycotts. The bill also prohibits state contracts with institutions that violate these provisions. A number of these bills were introduced following resolutions by the Asian American Studies Association and American Studies Association endorsing the boycott of Israeli academic institutions complicit in Israel’s human rights violations. Related Bill: S. 6306.

This anti-boycott defunding bill prohibits institutions of higher education that participate in or provide funding to any organization that boycotts a foreign academic institution from receiving state aid. The bill also prohibits state or local officers from being members of an organization that engages in such boycotts. The bill also prohibits state contracts with institutions that violate these provisions. A number of these bills were introduced following resolutions by the Asian American Studies Association and American Studies Association endorsing the boycott of Israeli academic institutions complicit in Israel’s human rights violations. Related Bill: 8632.

This anti-boycott defunding bill directs the trustees of New York’s public colleges and universities to prohibit funding student groups that directly or indirectly promote or encourage boycotts of any allied nation or companies based in an allied nation, including Israel and the territories it occupies. The bill includes boycotts intended to penalize or “cast disrepute upon” an allied nation, its peoples, or businesses based there, but its funding prohibitions are limited to boycotts “based on race, class, gender, nationality, ethnic origin or religion,” which should exclude boycotts for Palestinian rights.