Virginia

HB 1898 is an anti-boycott bill that prohibits public bodies in Virginia from contracting with entities that engage in boycott activity against Israel or entities “authorized by, licensed by, or organized under the laws of the State of Israel,” which encompass illegal Israeli settlements. This bill requires potential contractors to certify that they will not boycott Israel during the performance of the contract and applies to contracts worth over $100,000 and to contractors with more than 10 employees. The contractor is also required to impose the written certification on subcontracts or purchases over $10,000. Earlier versions of the bill included a civil penalty of three times the amount of the contract for violations of these requirements. It also prohibited public institutions of higher education in Virginia from boycotting Israel and imposed written certification requirements. Related bills: SB 1375.

HB 1606 is an antisemitism redefinition bill that adopts the distorted IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its contemporary examples that target advocacy for Palestinian rights, into state law addressing discrimination as well as other areas of law. Related bill: SB 1252.

This anti-boycott bill prohibits any public body from contracting with entities that boycott Israel or illegal Israeli settlements. Contractors are required to certify in writing that they will not boycott Israel for the duration of the contract. These written certifications are to be made publicly available. The bill applies to contracts in excess of $100,000 with any contractor having more than 10 employees. Contractors that boycott in violation of these requirements will be subject to civil penalties an amount equal to three times the contract. Additionally, this bill bars institutions of higher education from boycotting Israel and requires the board of each public institution of higher education to certify in writing that they will not boycott Israel or illegal Israeli settlements. Related bill: HB 1898.

SB 1252 is an antisemitism redefinition bill that adopts the distorted IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its contemporary examples that target advocacy for Palestinian rights, into state law addressing discrimination as well as other areas of law. Related bill: HB 1606.

This anti-boycott bill requires state contractors to provide a written certification that they will not engage in boycotts of Israel or its illegal settlements. The bill excludes contracts whose total value is less than $10,000. 

This antisemitism redefinition bill amends Virginia’s Human Rights Act to adopt the 2010 US State Department fact sheet definition of antisemitism, including the contemporary examples related to Israel of “demonizing Israel,” “applying a double standard to Israel,” and “delegitimizing Israel.” The bill requires the consideration of this distorted definition when investigating discrimination complaints under the Human Rights Act or in the context of public institutions of higher education, meaning that political speech supportive of Palestinian rights could be deemed unlawful discrimination in the workplace, in public accommodations, and in educational institutions in Virginia.

The introduced version of this anti-boycott bill prohibited state contracts above $10,000 unless the contractor provided written certification that the contractor would not engage in a boycott of Israel for the duration of the contract or hire subcontractors engaged in such boycotts. The bill was later amended and watered down to direct the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to work with the Virginia-Israel Advisory Board to implement practices to “ensure free, fair, open, and consistent business practices” related to BDS. Advocacy and pressure from grassroots activists, including the Freedom2Boycott – Virginia coalition (the predecessor of the Virginia Coalition for Human Rights), helped defeat the bill.

HJ 177 is non-binding resolution that condemns boycotts for Palestinian rights. The resolution expresses the sense of the Virginia General Assembly in opposing academic, cultural, and economic boycotts and “all efforts to assault the legitimacy of the State of Israel as the sovereign homeland of the Jewish people.”